


Alexandra's Primeval

by RaeOfSunshine524



Category: Primeval
Genre: F/M, It's kinda long, Other Ships Not Mentioned in Tags, Rating May Change, i'm still working on it
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-01
Updated: 2020-10-23
Packaged: 2021-03-03 12:35:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 40
Words: 149,799
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21632263
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RaeOfSunshine524/pseuds/RaeOfSunshine524
Summary: Alex Hart's life has always been...strange. Unusual. Anomalous.Being raised by your animal tracker uncle, evolutionary zoologist godfather and their detective constable friend, you're bound to be a little different.When you throw missing children and wives into the mix, it gets stranger.Even more so when you add in anomalies.Season One to Season Five (and beyond)
Relationships: Abby Maitland/Connor Temple, Hilary James Becker/Female OC
Comments: 9
Kudos: 32





	1. The Other Side

**Author's Note:**

> Something I've been writing for a while, and decided to put on here just to see what would happen :)  
(it's been through one re-write already, but if you see any mistakes...oops)  
If this chapter is too long, let me know so I can adjust future chapters  
Also, told mostly in first person. POVs switch sometimes

_Season One, Episode One_

**Alex POV**

The three of us are walking along to Nick's office. Him, me and Stephen. A boy, two or three years older than me, comes running up to us dropping papers left and right.

"Professor Cutter!" he shouts. He trips but bounces back up as if he is made out of rubber. "Professor!" He catches up to us and holds out a hand for Nick to shake. "Professor Cutter, Connor Temple." he says.

"I'm sorry, I've never heard of it. I think you want archaeology, if you go around up there to the right and keep walking it's on your left." Stephen points in the direction Nick is talking about.

"No, it's...it's not a place, it's my name. I'm one of your students." Nick stops and turns to him.

"Then why don't I recognize you?" Nick asks. I laugh. Both Nick and Connor look at me.

"It could be because you've never actually turned up to any of your seminars, Nick." I tell him.

"Hm." is all the reply I get. The three of us start walking again, carrying on with our conversation from before. Connor hesitates before following us, still dropping papers.  
"Don't touch anything." Nick says to Connor as we enter his office. "This is my laboratory technician, Stephen Hart and his niece, Alexandra." I wave my hand in mock salute.

"Hi." Stephen says. Nick goes to sit at his desk, dumping a pile of paper in the bin.

"Oh, actually, that's my dissertation." Connor says. I sit down next to Stephen and tune them out. After a few minutes Nick is shaking a newspaper at me. I am jerked out of my thoughts and I take the paper, scanning the front page. 'Monster Hoax or Truly Beastly' is the headline. I put the paper down and listen to their conversation. Connor is trying to convince Nick to take a look at it. "Your wife wouldn't have ignored it." he protests. Nick freezes.

"My godmother was a serious scientist. She wasn't a gullible monster hunter." I snap. Conner turns at the sound of my voice.

"Sorry."

"It's okay." Nick says, more to me than to Connor.

"I just thought you might want to check it out, that's all." Connor says, heading towards the door. "It's not as though the Forest of Dean is far away though."  
Nick's head jerks upwards.

"The Forest of Dean?" he asks. Stephen straightens up from his magnifying glass and turns to Nick.

"If we leave now we could be there by lunch."

***

We're walking towards a lorry with the eyewitness, a security guard, who is telling us what he'd seen, "I'd just finished my rounds when I caught a glimpse of it on the monitor." I step closer to the lorry we have stopped in front of. There are massive gashes in the side.

"Can you imagine how much force it took to rip this thing open?" Connor asks. "Look at the size of the marks." he adds. Yeah, that's what I'm doing, actually, I think as Stephen picks up a dead, floppy chicken. "You know, if you want my opinion, I think it's-" Connor stops suddenly as Stephen moves to stand beside me. "You don't, do you?" Connor asks.

"Well, if I found these gouges in the wild I'd be certain we were looking for a large predator." Stephen says.

"But we're in the Forest of Dean." Nick points out. I step closer to the lorry as the eyewitness speaks again,

"It was huge and it was so fast, it was gone across the yard in a second." I take my hand away from the lorry and show it to my uncle.

"Well, there's blood." I say as Nick walks around to the other side of the lorry.

"Stephen, come give me a logical explanation for this. Alex, you too, you're the observant one." he calls. I walk with my uncle round to Nick.

"It's a hoax, obviously." my uncle starts. But then we see the fence.

"Just a difficult one to pull off." I add.  
"Can I say something?" Connor asks from behind me, just as Nick moves forward. "Is he alright?" Connor asks as Stephen links a single finger with one of mine.

"Helen Cutter came to this area eight years ago to investigate a creature sighting. She disappeared in the forest." he explains.

"The body was never found. Just a rucksack. No blood, no clues, nothing. She just...vanished." I add, turning my hand so I could hang onto Stephen's.

***

Stephen, Connor and I are outside the hotel. Nick is inside. Connor's showing something to Stephen on his laptop.

"This database contains constantly updated information on all non-extinct vertebrates. I've been building it every spare second since I was 14." he says proudly, clicking through some pictures.

"It's impressive." Stephen replies. I raise my eyebrows. I step closer and look over Connor's shoulder.

"It's pretty cool, huh?" Connor asks.

"And slightly sad." I tell him.

"Alex." Stephen warns. I shrug and hold up my hands.

"You were thinking it too."

"Let's change the subject yeah? You know we're not talking about a wild cat, don't you?" Connor asks. Nick returns before either of us can respond. There's a woman with him. He sees my questioning look and answers it for me.

"This is Claudia Brown from the Home Office. She'll be coming with us."

"I knew it. It's a cover-up." Connor says quietly to Stephen. Claudia hears him.

"What's he talking about?" she asks. I try not to laugh as I reply,

"Connor never met a conspiracy theory he didn't like." I put out my hand to shake hers. "Alexandra Hart."

***

"What can you do? How did you end up here?" Claudia asks me. We're walking side by side through the forest.

"I'm Stephen's niece. Nick is my godfather. They've both trained me in their own fields. Evolutionary zoologist like Nick, animal tracker and marksman, well, markswoman, like Stephen. I've done a bit of palaeontology, I can fight, I'm handy with a knife." I answer. I give her as much information as she wants to hear, otherwise she'll never be done asking questions.

"How do your parents feel about this?"

"My parents died a long time ago. I was too young to remember them. Nick and Stephen are my guardians. And no, I don't want to talk about it." I walk faster to catch up with my uncle. Claudia start asking about Helen next, and then I'd get upset. I take the map he's holding and start to study it.

"You alright?" he asks quietly.

"I'm fine. Claudia's going to ask the wrong question soon. She's being too curious about why I'm here and where my parents are." I hear her voice as I finish my sentence.

"If there really were some creature around here, wouldn't the journalists have found it by now?" she asks.

"They wouldn't know what they were looking for." Nick replies.

"But you do?" I can hear the scepticism in her voice.

"Hmm. I've seen Stephen and Alexandra track wounded animals through the rainforest for up to 10 days at a time. Isn't that right, Alex?" Connor walks faster as Nick speaks and puts himself between me and Stephen.

"Not to mention wrestle an anaconda and save a whale." Connor says. He laughs at his own joke but no one else does. He looks to me and I smile. "Good joke, yeah?" he asks.

"Sure." I reply before powering on by myself. Nick says something but I can't quite make it out. I'm too shocked by what I can see in front of me. There is a cow, hanging in between two branches of a tree, dead.

***

We walk for another short while before we stumble upon a girl. She has choppy, white-blonde hair and she's shorter than me and Connor. She looks closer to Connor's age than mine. She steps backwards, her back nearly hitting a tree. I catch sight of what she's staring at.

"Don't move." Nick tells her.

"Is it real?" she asks.

"Some kind of experiment, maybe. Hybrid, throwback. Who are you?" Nick says, unsure of what else to say.

"Abby Maitland. I'm a keeper at Wellington Zoo." she tells us. Nick shines his torch on what we are all staring at by now. He looks at me, giving me permission.

"It's a reptile. Five or six tonnes at least. Large supratemporal bosses. Uh, osteoderms on its back. Some kind of anapsid?" I ask, and Nick nods his approval. "Scutosaurus." I conclude.

"Well done." Nick says, at the same time as Abby exclaims,

"A tortoise?" The Scutosaurus roars and we all take a step back except Abby. "Stay in his field of vision, you're making him nervous." she tells us. We do as we are told.

"I was right," Connor says. "There was a dinosaur in that warehouse." He lifts his phone and takes a picture. I groan inwardly. Idiot. Claudia snatches the phone off him.

"Whatever it is, it's classified until I figure out what the hell to do about it."

A lizard crawls out from behind a tree. I shine my own torch on it. Stephen crouches down to look at it.

"Bloody hell, there's two of them."

***

Nick, Claudia and Abby have gone to the Trent's house. That's where Abby says she found Rex. A boy had given him to her. She was in the forest because she had asked Ben where he had found the lizard. I stayed behind with my uncle and Connor, watching the Scutosaurus. I sat on the ground on Stephen's jacket while he leans against a tree. Connor is standing, staring at the dinosaur. We are silent until Connor says,

"You know this is going to win me the Nobel prize."

Steven scoffs.

"You don't know what we're dealing with yet." he reminds Connor.

"Come on. It looks like a dinosaur. It behaves like a dinosaur. It's a dinosaur. It's the missing link to the ancient past. And I discovered it."

"Unbelievable." I sighs. It looks like Connor is about to speak again but before he can, we hear a yell.

"Stephen!" Nick's voice shouts. He, Abby and Claudia are running towards us, torches swinging wildly. The Scutosaurus starts and Stephen and Connor scramble out of the way.  
"Let him go!" Nick calls, "It's scared. Let's see where it thinks is safe." We all take off after it. All of a sudden, it disappears into thin air. I realise as I get closer that it isn't quite thin air. There is a ball of light that looks like it's made of shards of broken glass. The Scutosaurus has gone right through it.

"Where's it gone?" Claudia asks. Nick stares at the light.

"Home."

***

Claudia has called people, soldiers, and now they're all over the place. Connor steps towards the pulsing ball of shattered light, tapping his chin with his pen. His arm is stretching out, and then his pen leaves his hand, and goes through the light.

"My pen." he says, turning to Nick, who has appeared next to me. "That explains the compass going crazy.

"But what could cause a magnetic field like that?" I wonder aloud.

"Maybe it's an alien spaceship." Connor suggests immediately.

"Don't think so, Connor." I tell him, while Nick half-smiles. I watch as two of the soldiers load a massive cage containing the tiny Coelurosauravus into the back of one of their trucks.

"Everything we've seen about the animals so far is consistent with vertebrates that last appeared in the fossil records hundreds of millions of years ago." Nick tells Claudia.

"You mean they're like creatures from the past?" she asks.

"No. He means they are creatures from the past." I tell her as Connor holds something else up to the shining light. He laughs as it is whipped from his hand.

"Brilliant. Just brilliant." he murmurs. Then his smile falls. "Oh. That was my front door key." he realises aloud. I snort.

"Cutter, we have to go now." Claudia says.

"You've got your own experts." Nick say.

"They didn't see what we saw, and they don't know what you know." Claudia tells him before turning away. I step backwards to stand beside Nick as Stephen appears on his other side.

"You're thinking about Helen, aren't you?" my uncle asks my godfather.

"It explains everything." Nick says.

"Except why she didn't come back." I point out sadly.

***  
I dream of my godmother that night. Helen Cutter.

We were going to the Cutter's house. Me and my uncle Stephen. We had to stop and wait for the green man at the lights, and Stephen picked me up. He could still lift me, even at eight years old.

"Now, what dinosaur are we telling Nick and Helen about today?" he asked.

"Triceratops." I told him. "It's my favourite. What's your favourite, Stephen?" the s sounds whistled in the gap of my teeth. I'd lost one last week. Stephen poked my nose.

"You are, Starlight." he told me, smiling. I giggled and started wriggling to be let down. Stephen put me on the ground, holding onto my hand. "Hey, look, the green man. Let's go."  
We reached the Cutter's after a few minutes more walking, and Stephen lifted me so I could ring the doorbell before he pushed the door open. I ran in and flung myself at Nick, who had hurriedly put down whatever had been in his hands to lift me and spin me about as I shrieked with laughter.

"Hello, Princess." he laughed as he put me down.

"Where's Helen?" I asked.

"In the kitchen." Nick told me, and I rushed through. I nearly knocked Helen over when I hugged her, and she laughed. She knelt on the floor and hugged me again.

"Hello, Alex." she said.

"Alex?" I repeated once I broke away from her.

"It's a nickname. Like Starlight. It's your name, but shorter." she said, smiling. I grinned.

"I like it." I told her. Helen mocked-gasped.

"Alexandra Louise, did you lose a tooth?" I grinned wider.

"Yep." I said proudly.

"Wow. Did it hurt?"

"Nope."

"Good." Helen said, smiling again.

***

"Alex? Alex, come on, wake up." I roll over in my bed, onto my back, and open my eyes as I stretch an arm above my head.

"Why?" I groan.

"Because." Stephen tells me, yanking my curtains open.

"Stephen!" I whine.

"Alex!" he mocks. I sit up, rubbing at my eyes.

"Okay, okay, I'm awake." I tell him.

"Now, come on, into the shower." Stephen says as I stand.

"But breakfast!"

"Shower. Now." he orders. "And you can get a bacon sandwich on the way." he offered, pulling me closer and pressing a kiss to my temple before leaving my room. I pad after him in my socks.

"On the way where?" I asks.

"Home Office!" he calls.

***

Stephen and I tramp our way through the forest, Connor Temple stumbling after us, sniffing and sneezing every so often. Hay fever I think is the most likely subject. Stephen crouches before a fallen, snapped tree.

"Something large has been through here." he remarks.

"Recently." I add.

"I'm not really outdoorsy." Connor starts, his voice sounding as if he has a cold, and Stephen and I roll our eyes at the same time. "I have sinus issues and allergies. I could write you a list." Connor continues, confirming my hunch as Stephen stands, turning and putting a finger to his lips.

"We can't rely on the army to find this creature, so just keep looking." he tells Connor before turning again and continuing walking. "It's so close I can sense it." he adds.

"Shouldn't we just wait for the professor?" Connor asks as he caught up with us.

"We don't need him. We're just as good as he is. Anyway, he can't track." I tell him. There are fifteen minutes of silence before Connor appears next to Stephen.

"So...what do you think of Abby?" he asks. I groan inwardly. Really? Please don't answer, Stephen.

"She's okay." Stephen says.

Why? You have Alison!

"Why?" I blurt, unable to keep my thoughts inside my head.

"I was picking up some heat between us." Connor says. I can see my uncle trying to fight off a smile. "You get an instinct for these kinds of things." Connor adds.

"I thought you already had a girlfriend?" Stephen asks. I try not to laugh, really I do.

"She's more of a pen pal really." Connor says, ignoring my barely supressed sniggers. "She, um, she lives in the Gambia"

"That's practical for a night out." I comment.

"Yeah. Do you think Abby likes me?" Connor asks. I sigh and walk faster.

***

Stephen is a few steps behind me, Connor still trying to catch up with us. I see something and move faster.

"Stephen?" I call before kneeling on the ground. Stephen appears a moment later, followed by Connor.

"What's this?" Stephen wonders aloud. It's a footprint, a clear footprint. But the kind that definitely should not be here.

"I think the scientific term is really bad news." Connor says. I agree with him. He sits himself on a log and pulls his laptop out of his bag while Stephen and I examine the footprint.  
"My best guess? The creature we found was-" Connor starts.

"Scutosaurus." I finish. "I told you that. Late Permian. But this doesn't quite look like a Scutosaurus print."

"No, it's not." Stephen mutters.

"So, late Permian. I think this little charmer is the prime suspect." Connor says, turning his laptop so I could see as I stand and walk over to him. "It's a Gorgonopsid. It's a compact killing machine, and it's got incredible power." he explains. "If it is still out there, you need to find it. Fast."

"What about you?" Stephen asks from Connor's other side.

"You, mighty hunter. Me, I'm more logistics and, you know, backup. Alex, mighty hunter sidekick."

"Alright, Starlight, come on. Field trip."

We go as fast as we dare, careful not to lose the signs of the creature. But then there's a strange noise, and we stop dead. A roaring noise. We look at each other and run. We find a school.

"Oh God." I breathe.

"It's after hours, no one'll be there." Stephen says before there was another roar. I move forward but Stephen's hands land on my shoulders. "You stay here, Starlight. Stay here, you hear me?"

"But-" I start. He shakes his head.

"No. Stay here. Safe here." And he turns and runs towards the school. I stand in shocked silence for about three minutes before I move to go into the school. I freeze when the fire exit doors burst off their hinges and my uncle falls out, rolling and then stopping, lying unmoving on the ground as the Gorgonopsid leaps out after him and runs away. I run to Stephen.

"No no no, Stephen. No, come on." I mutter, turning him to lie on his back. He doesn't move.

***

**Connor POV**

"Will you call Alex again?" Cutter asks from where he is sat, a medic shining a torch into his eyes.

"Stephen isn't answering."

"Yes, that's why I want you to call Alex."

I find her number and press the call button.

"It's 18:55, I want you back no later than 20:00. If the first contact works out, we'll take it from there." Claudia says as a soldier moves to stand beside her. Alex hasn't answered her phone. Again. I try Stephen again.

"What's he doing here?" Cutter asks, nodding at the soldier.

"This is Captain Ryan. He's a Gulf war veteran with extensive desert experience. We don't know how dangerous it'll be on the other side of the anomaly." Claudia explains as I take my phone away from my ear and put it in my pocket and Cutter stands. "No arguments, Cutter." Claudia warns. "He goes as well." Cutter shakes Captain Ryan's hand. Abby appears, holding the Coelurosauravus. Captain Ryan and Claudia leave, and Abby hands the little dinosaur to Cutter.

"Please take care of him. Look after yourself too." she says, going up on her toes to kiss his cheek.

"Yeah. We'll be fine." Cutter tells her. He looks at me. "Anything?" he asks. I shake my head. "Try Alex one more time, tell her what's going on." he tells me. I nod. All of us walk towards the anomaly. Claudia, Abby and I stop a few paces away from it, watching Cutter and Ryan. Just before he goes through, Cutter looks over his shoulder and smiles at Claudia. I pull my phone back out of my pocket, and something else falls out. I crouch to pick it up.

"My pen." I realise aloud, standing up. "The magnetic field didn't take it. The anomaly's getting weaker."

**Nick POV**

It's amazing. Unbelievable. And beautiful.

"Give me an hour." I call to Captain Ryan. "One hour on my own." I'm already walking away as Ryan turns from his bag and stands. "I've got a radio." I remind him, patting said radio in my pocket. I climb to the top of a hill. I know the chances are slim, almost non-existent. But there's still a chance. "Helen!" My voice rings out into the nothingness. I get no reply. Of course I don't. I shout her name again. My voice is met with the grumblings of a group of Scutosauruses. But then I hear another voice.

"Professor!"

Captain Ryan. I turn and find him waving. "Professor! Over here!" I go to him as fast as I can, careful not to fall. He leads me to a small clearing.

"My God."

There is a flattened tent, a metal box. I crouch and open the box. I pick up a Yorkie bar and stand.

"People. Somebody's been here before us." I say.

"Well, whoever it was didn't get far. Over here." Ryan tells me before turning. I follow him. He takes me to a skeleton, almost completely submerged by the tiny black stones that cover the ground here. Captain Ryan kneels at the foot of the skeleton, fishing something out of the stones. A camera case. I turn it around and nearly drop it.

"It's HC, it's Helen Cutter." I say, standing as my eyes start to sting.

"Is it her?" Ryan asks. I crouch next to the skeleton again.

"No, it's a man." I tell him, shock going through me.

"How did he die?"

"I don't know."

"It's time to go." Ryan says, checking his watch.

"Yeah, I can't help that, I've got to find my wife." I tell him, starting to walk away.

"We have to go."

"I'm staying."

I hear the crunch of his footsteps behind me and then, "Sorry Professor." And all goes black.

***

**Alex POV**

I'm driving the car faster than I should be, but I didn't care. I have to stop that dinosaur. There's a groan from the back seat.

"Alex?"

I don't turn my head as I reply,

"Yep, I'm here."

"What happened?" Stephen aske.

"Short version: Gorgonopsid, school, we're going after it." I tell him. "I'm going to the anomaly site, through there is where is feels safe."

"Alright." Stephen says. "Why does my head hurt so bloody much?" he asked.

"Gorgonopsid, school." I see the creature and speed up. Claudia is on the ground, trying to stand up, Nick trying to haul her to her feet. I slam my hand down on the wheel and the car horn lets out a long beep.

"Alex, you're going to ram it!" Stephen yells.

"Yeah, that's the general idea." I tell him. The Gorgonopsid has turned from Nick and Claudia and is now running straight for the car. Just before we collide, I hear,

"Starlight!"

I'm fine, but the Gorgonopsid isn't. I clamber out of the car and stand in front of it. I hear the car door slam shut, feel hands on my shoulders, turning me.

"What the hell were you thinking? You could have gotten yourself killed!" Stephen cries before hugging me tight. There's a sudden yell.

"Stephen!"

I turn to find the Gorgonopsid getting back to its feet.

"Alex! Catch!"

Nick's throwing me a gun. I catch it easily and aim it at the creature, falling to one knee and immediately firing it. There's the noise of another gun beside me and out of the corner of my eye I see my uncle on one knee beside me, doing the same. The creature falls to the ground, dead. Stephen drops the gun and hauls me to my feet, pulling me away from the Gorgonopsid.

***

I sit with Nick in the Home Office. Some man called James Lester is here. Claudia's standing at the door.

"We developed the film in the camera you brought back." James Lester says, clicking a little remote. A picture appears on the screen in front of us.

"It's her. It's Helen." Nick says.

"I'm sorry for your personal loss, Professor." Lester says. I stand, my chair scraping noisily against the floor.

"Sorry. Can I go?" I ask, my voice wobbling. I don't look at James Lester but at Claudia, who nods.

***

I sit on the couch, arms wrapped around my knees. The couch dips as Stephen sits next to me. He presses something warm against my hand, and I uncurl it to take the mug from him, putting my feet on the floor. I sip it carefully without really looking at it. The warmth of the hot chocolate spreads through me. The couch dips on my other side. A hand goes to my hair, tucking a stray lock behind my ear.

"Special recipe, Sunshine. Just for you." Danny says as I lean against Stephen. He doesn't know exactly what's happened. Neither of us can tell him, we've signed the Official Secrets Act. But he knows that we've found evidence that Helen's dead.

"It's was her. It was Helen. She's gone. Really gone."


	2. Please Don't Go

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Season One Episode Two  
Kinda unedited. Sorry for any mistakes!

_ Season One, Episode Two  
_ **Alex**

I'm sitting in the cafeteria of the university. I've just come back from Danny's house, but I didn't want to go to Nick's office. Not yet. I want a moment to think. Nick had told me he had seen her. Helen. It's impossible. But of course, a Gorgonopsid coming through a ball of shattered light is meant to be impossible too. I hear a familiar voice above the rabble of students. 

"They're called anomalies, but I can't say any more. Official Secrets Act." 

Connor Temple. Connor Bloody Idiot Temple. 

"But I will tell you this. I've seen a Gorgonopsid. Face to face. And trust me, it's not pretty." Connor's voice continues. Could he be any more stupid? Claudia will have his head if she hears about this. I can see the three of them now. The taller of his two friends, the ginger one I know is called Tom, speaks,

"Just how stupid do you think we are, Con?" he asks as Connor starts to walk. 

"But it's true!" he protests. I stand and follow them, taking my hot chocolate with me. The uni's hot chocolate isn't a patch on Danny's, but it does the job. Connor turns around and walks backwards. I move so I know he can't see me. "Alright, I swear on my Empire Strikes Back first edition poster signed by Luke Skywalker and David Prowse." he says. I roll my eyes. 

"Ooh, careful. That's like invoking a sacred relic." Tom warns. The other boy, who I've heard Connor call Duncan, says, 

"Yeah, like the Bible." I speed up and turn to walk beside Connor. 

"Yeah, I think he knows what a sacred relic is, Duncan." I say.

"Yes, thank you, Alex. I have seen Raiders of the Lost Ark." Connor reminds Duncan, turning to walk forwards, completely unfazed by my sudden appearance. Duncan and Tom are staring at me. I swear at myself. I knew it had been a mistake to wear shorts today. Tom's eyes creep just a little too low and I clear my throat. 

"Do you want to get punched? Cause you're going the right way about it." I warn. Connor turns his head. 

"She means it too." he tells them. I turn so I'm walking forwards beside him. 

"Connor, what the hell are you doing? The whole point of the Official Secrets Act is that it's a bloody secret!" I hiss. 

"Isn't that-" Duncan starts. 

"Yeah." Tom cuts in. 

"How does he know her?" I hear Duncan whisper. Connor and I turn at the same time. I'm about to give them a right telling off when Connor puts an arm over my shoulder. 

"This is Alex. I told you about her, right?" I glare at him. He'd told them about me? Why? "You know, I can prove all that stuff about the anomalies." Connor says. I give him a sharp poke with my elbow. "Only that I'm not allowed to." he adds hurriedly. 

"Damn right you're not." I mutter. 

"So you're both bonkers." Tom sniggers. I lift my chin, glaring at him now instead of Connor. 

"You didn't think I was so bonkers when you asked me out last week, Thomas Macleod." I point out, and he goes red. Connor turns, taking me with him as his arm is still on my shoulder. 

"You know, one day you're going to be gutted you didn't believe me." he says before walking off, unfortunately taking me with him. I hit him as soon as I can, making his arm fall off me. 

"What the hell was that? Claudia'll kill you! Hell, I'll kill you!" I hiss. Connor just shrugs. I sigh before poking a finger at his chest. "Look, you tell no one else about this, you hear me? Or I'll be having words with Nick. And Claudia." I go back to Nick's office. My mouth drops open when I open the door. "What the hell," I start. "has been going on in here?" It looks like there's been a paper tornado. I edge in, carefully stepping over two sheets of paper in the doorway. "I leave you two for three days and this happens." I add, folding my arms as best I can while still holding my hot chocolate. Stephen stops shaking his head and looked at me. 

"Starlight, there you are." he smiles, but it looks forced. He stands and picks his way through the papers, taking my elbow and leading me out of the door. "Get me out of here."

It's only about half an hour later when Stephen's phone buzzes. He checks it, and bolts back to Nick's office. I follow him without question. He bursts in. Claudia is there. She looks quite comfy, until she bolts upright at the sight of us. 

"Text from Abby. Connor thinks he's onto another anomaly. They've gone to investigate." my uncle says. Abby. She seems to like my uncle. He doesn't seem to find her too bad either. But Stephen already has a girlfriend. 

"Where? Where are they?" Nick asks. 

"New Forest. She's not quite sure where."

***

I stand with Abby and Connor next to the water. 

"You utter idiot. How stupid can you get? Official Secrets Act, Connor. Means you tell no one. No one." I turn from them with a sigh and stand beside Stephen as Nick walks up to us. The three of us stand, stormy faced as Abby and Connor turn to us. 

"Look, I know what you're going to say-" Connor starts.

"We're sorry." Abby cuts in.

"The police aren't going to prosecute you for trespassing." Nick tells them. "Supposing it had been a predator? What were you going to do? Tame it?" he asks. "You knew exactly what was at stake but you just couldn't keep your mouth shut." Nick continued. 

"It's just so big. I had to tell somebody." Connor defends himself. 

"No, Connor. You didn't." I remind him. 

"I'm sorry. I am. I blew it." Connor says. 

"Go back to college. Get on with your work. I'll find you another supervisor." Nick tells him. 

"I'm just as much to blame as he is." Abby points out. 

"Just as stupid, maybe. But you didn't shout your mouth off and you've still got skills I can use. You stay." 

Abby turns to look at Connor, but he doesn't look at her. Nick turns, as does Stephen. And after a moment, I follow.

**Claudia**

Alex and Cutter follow me as I follow the doctor into the room. There is a man lying, twitching, on a gurney. 

"This kind of thing doesn't normally interest the government." the doctor says as we enter. 

"We like to keep an eye on violent crime, Dr Lewis. Especially when there's unusual circumstances." I tell her. My back is to the twitching man, but Alex and Cutter are looking right at him. She's walking towards the bed, head tilted to the side.

"Well, he was found early this morning in the Underground. He'd been spraying the tunnels for vermin. Judging from the size of the wound, he'd been attacked with a knife or an axe, but it makes no sense." Dr Lewis tells me. 

"Why not?" 

"It's not the wound that's killing him, it's poison." she says. Cutter turns at her words. 

"Are you suggesting that someone took an axe to him, and then injected poison into the wound?" I ask. 

"Venom, to be precise." the doctor says. 

"As in snakes and insects?" 

"We're running every test we can think of, but the truth is, we just don't know what we're dealing with." 

"Did he say anything before he lost consciousness?" 

"He was babbling about monsters." 

"It's a single puncture mark, but it's not a knife and it's not an axe. It's a bite." Alex says suddenly.

"From what?" Dr Lewis asks. 

"Good question." Cutter tells her.

***

**Alex**

"We should be down there with them." Nick tells Claudia. 

"Special Forces go in first. You didn't think Lester would let you two have it all your own way did you?" 

"Claudia, they don't even know what they're looking for!" I remind her. 

"There can't be that many different types of venomous predator under the Aldwych." Stephen says. 

"You should see the last tube home on a Friday night." Claudia tells him. About twenty minutes later, they come back up. One of them has been bitten. 

"They were like spiders, but with pincers, not fangs. Some of them over a meter long. Horrible little-" Captain Ryan seems to think better of what he's about to say.

"Buggers?" I suggest.

"Alexandra!" Claudia exclaims. 

"Look, tell me how you feel." Nick says. 

"Sick. My ears are ringing." 

"Any blurred vision?" 

"No. But there's something else. The gunshots were too bright, like fireworks." Captain Ryan tells him. 

"That's classic signs of excess oxygen in the air." Stephen says. 

"Must be leaking through the anomaly." I mumble, half to myself. 

"We're not talking about the Permian era any longer." Nick says, joining me and Stephen. "This is much much earlier." he continues. 

"How much earlier?" Claudia asks. 

"Maybe the Carboniferous." I suggest. 

"About 300 million years ago." Nick explains. "We really need to see exactly what these creatures look like. I need to see this for myself." Nick tells Claudia. There's a moment's pause, then, 

"Okay, go." 

Nick put a hand on my back. "Let's get some gear."

A few minutes later, I'm standing next to Abby, tying my bootlaces. We walk over to Nick, Stephen and Claudia together. 

"What's she doing?" Claudia asks. She hasn't seen me and is looking at Abby. 

"Abby's got more practical experience with animals than the rest of us put together." Nick says. 

"I don't care if she's Doctor Dolittle. It's too risky." 

"I can help. I've just finished a study in insect behaviour." Abby says. She isn't telling the truth, I can tell, but Claudia can't. It's then that Claudia sees me. 

"No, no. Absolutely not. You're younger than she is. You need permission from a guardian." 

Claudia is right. Though I'm over eighteen, for reasons that have never been explained to me, I need a legal guardian. I don't know why. I've never gotten an answer when I've asked about it. I turn to Nick and Stephen. 

"Guardian One, Guardian Two." I say, pointing at them. "What say you, Guardians of Alex?" I ask. Stephen is trying not to smile. 

"I say she comes along." he says. 

"Aye, me too." Nick adds before turning to Ryan and saying, "Torches." They walk off together, Claudia going in another direction. 

"That wasn't true." I say to Abby. 

"How did you know?" she asks. Stephen laughs, putting an arm over my shoulder. 

"She's a Jones." he says simply. "All her mother's family were incredibly observant." Abby wrinkles her nose. 

"Kind of true." she says. "To tell you the truth, spiders aren't really my thing." she tells us. 

"Well, technically, these are probably scorpions." I tell her. "I think." I add, not entirely sure of myself. 

"I feel better already." 

We all go down together and jump onto the tracks, walking into the tunnel. Within two minutes, we see a spider. 

"On the floor." Nick mutters. When we shine our torches on it, it scuttles away into the dark. "That's what I thought, they're sensitive to light." Nick says as we all creep forwards in a line. Abby makes a sudden noise of shock and we all turn to her as a spider jumps off the wall and runs away. 

"Does anyone have a really big slipper?" she asks. 

We move into a room full of bunkbeds. Something about it makes my skin crawl. Speaking of crawling, we can hear the spiders moving about. I agree with Abby, I'm not their biggest fan. Abby and I creep towards a wall of chain link fence. There's a massive hole in it, some kind of goop around the edges. I hear my uncle gag behind me. 

"Cutter?" Abby calls. I duck through the hole, closely followed by Abby. The anomaly is here. I turn my head to look at Stephen, who has appeared beside me. He's smiling. The anomaly is beautiful, like the one in the Forest of Dean. 

"What's happening to us?" Nick asks quietly. A few spiders scuttle past us and through the anomaly. I hear a clatter and turn my head to see that Abby has dropped her torch. 

"Guys." she whispers. The three of us turn. I can hear something crawling. It sounds a hell of a lot bigger than the spiders. "What is it?" Abby hisses to my uncle. 

"I don't know." he tells her. We can only see small sections of the creature through the clutter, but I'm sure of one thing. 

"It's not a spider." I whisper. And suddenly, it bursts through the mess on the floor, making us all yell and jump away from it. Stephen grabs me. 

"Quick!" he yells, pulling me back through the hole in the fence. I break away from him and shine my torch around. I can't find it. 

"Stephen? Stephen, can you see it?" Nick calls. 

"No!" Stephen shouts back. I see it, on the ceiling above his head. 

"Stephen!" Abby shouts. I pull him back as he throws a plastic container at it. Nick whistles sharply and the creature turns to the noise. 

"Go!" Nick yells. 

"Nick!" Stephen and I shout together. 

"Go! Get Alex and Abby out of here!" Nick yells back, and Stephen goes into Parent Mode, pulling me and Abby back, back through the tunnel and back to the surface while I yell after Nick.

***

"All I'm getting is interference." Claudia says. 

"Keep trying." I tell her. She pulls out a map. 

"Look. There's no other way out. This tunnel was blocked thirty years ago." 

"What? Then why isn't he back here?" Abby asks. 

"Look, he's got to be trapped, okay? I'm going back in." Stephen says. 

"I'm coming." I say instantly, turning with him. 

"No one goes anywhere until we know what we're dealing with." Claudia calls after us. We go back to her. 

"He could be injured." Stephen tells her. 

I'm scared. More scared than I've been in a long time. 

"I don't want to leave him down there any more than you do. But I'm not losing anyone else in this wild goose chase." Claudia says. "We don't even know if we're sure where he is." she points out before turning. "Did you see what kind of creature it was?" she calls. 

"It was some kind of centipede." Stephen tells her. 

"But huge!" Abby adds. 

"Any more? Like preferred habitat, behavioural patterns, strengths, weaknesses?" Claudia asks. 

"We don't know! No one does!" Abby cries. 

Unless...

"Connor." I say. 

"He's like a walking encyclopaedia of this stuff. He probably has giant bug fridge magnets." Stephen says. 

"Okay. Okay, I'll get him here." Claudia says before walking towards Captain Ryan.

"I can't leave him in there." Stephen says. 

"You can't go down without backup." Abby tells him. 

"He'll have backup." I say. Stephen whirls round. 

"No. You're staying right here, where it's safe." he tells me. 

"Last time I did that you ended up unconscious!" 

"And I don't want you to go the same way! Listen to me, Starlight. You stay here. I'll bring Nick back, and I'll even let you punch me for leaving you behind, alright?" 

He runs off before I can answer.

***

I'm pacing up and down while Abby calls Stephen's name into her earpiece. He isn't answering. Claudia and Ryan appear. She's heard Abby asking for Stephen. 

"What's he done?" she demands. Abby can't say anything. Claudia snatches the earpiece from her and speaks into it as I stop pacing and stand beside Abby. 

"Stephen, where the hell are you?" Claudia demands into the earpiece. 

"He was trying to help." Abby says. 

"Well he's done a really great job, hasn't he?" Claudia snaps. "Stephen, come in! Stephen!" Claudia takes the earpiece away after a moment. "That's the problem with heroic gestures. Succeed, and you look wonderful. Fail, and all you do is leave everybody else with a bloody mess to clear up. Well done." she snaps. I whimper. "Get down there." Claudia orders Captain Ryan, not noticing my distress. Abby shouts suddenly. 

"Connor!" 

I sigh with relief. Connor will know what it is. He'll be able to help. 

Connor takes a minute or two to set up his laptop, in which I start pacing again. 

"Okay, Carboniferous, so it's probably an Arthropleurid." he says. I recognize the name, but I'm not quite sure what it is. "That's a centipede on steroids, basically. It's more or less blind, and god sense of smell and touch. I mean, this thing is pretty big and scary, but it's more or less timid. It's the kind of bug that'd stick to the kitchen at parties." Connor explains. 

"Is it dangerous? Poisonous?" I ask. 

"No way." Connor replies. I let out a breath and take a few steps away. Okay. Okay. I can deal with that. That was hope.

But then there are running footsteps and shouts of, 

"Medic!" and, 

"Stretcher!" 

I whip round. My uncle is being supported by Nick and a soldier, being lowered onto a stretcher as he twitches. 

There's a horrible, horrible scream. It takes me a few seconds to realise it's coming from me. I run. 

"He's been bitten by the Arthropleurid. Same wound, same symptoms as the pest controller." Nick says. The pest controller is dead. Everyone's voices blend together in my ears as the stretcher starts to be wheeled away. But then, Stephen's voice. 

"Tell them about Helen. She was there." he forces out. I let out a sob as I run with the stretcher. As he is being loaded into the ambulance, there is a moment where the stretcher isn't moving. "Starlight." I move forward. 

"I'm here."

"I never...never told you. How much...how like them you are. You're so like them. So beautiful and kind. And incredibly badass." he says, almost laughing as tears stream down my face. "I just...needed to tell you before I go." 

"No. No, no, no, you're not going anywhere." I tell him. "You can't." he looks at me. 

"I love you, Starlight. Remember that." And now he's bundled into the ambulance. 

"Please, miss, step away." a paramedic tells me. 

"No!" I cry. They're pushing me back, taking me away from him. "No!" I scream. "Stephen!" I hear another voice. Abby's. 

"She's his niece. Let her in." There's so much authority in her voice, even though she is crying too. They let me clamber in.

***

"Who did this to him?" Dr Lewis asks me. 

"Not who. What. It was a centipede." 

"What kind of centipede?" 

"It's-it's hard to explain." I say, my breath hitching, breaking up my words. 

"If we don't find out exactly what bit him, he will die." 

"Tell me. Tell me what you need." 

"There are no obvious treatments. People just don't die pf centipede bites." Dr Lewis tells me. She sees my face. "But if we can get a hold of a good sample of venom, we might be able to find an anti-venom that matches it." she says, peeling the gauze off my uncle's shoulder where the bite was. 

"Will it save him?" I ask. 

"Anti-venoms are a last resort. Toxic in their own right. The survival rate can be as low as 50%." 

"Without it?" 

"His chances are nil." 

"Just keep him alive. Please."

I pull out my phone after I'm bustled out of the room. I lean against the wall and call Nick.

_Alex?_

And that's enough to start me crying again. 

"He's dying, Nick. He's dying." 

_Alex, did the doctor say anything might help him?_

"She said we needed an anti-venom. That's it's his only chance. But you need a sample of the venom." I told him, sobs breaking my words. 

"Please, Nick. He's dying."

***

I fall asleep after they give him the anti-venom, my head on top of my folded arms, one finger linked with one of Stephen's. 

I wake, but don't raise my head. I can feel someone else in the room. Two people. They start talking, and I realise it's Abby and Connor. 

"How is he?" Connor asks. 

"The convulsions have stopped. That's something." Abby tells him. And I am so glad they have. Seeing my uncle twitching, convulsing involuntarily, had terrified me. I'm not sure I will ever forget it. 

"You really like him, don't you?" Connor asks. I had come to the same conclusion days ago. 

"I don't know him." Abby say. 

"When has that ever stopped people from fancying each other before?" 

The grip I have on Stephen's finger tightens. Abby likes Stephen, Connor likes Abby, Stephen has a girlfriend. 

"You see, the same thing happened to me once." Connor continues. "With Buffy the Vampire Slayer." I resist the urge to sit up and hit him. "I admit she's a fictional character, but, you know, when it feels real...then she starts hanging about with this badly animated dog and it all got a bit...weird." 

Abby snorts, and I smile against my arms. 

"Always break your heart in the end though, eh?" Connor says, slightly sadly.

The finger linked with mine moves, before other fingers grip mine. I sit up suddenly, surprising Abby and Connor. Oops. But I don't really care right now as my uncle starts coughing. 

"Doctor? I think he's back."


	3. Deep Water

_S_ _eason One, Episode Three_ **  
Alex**

I'm walking down the corridor of the hospital, on my way back to Stephen's room. He'd requested coffee, which the nurse didn't quite approve of, but had let me go and get. As I reach the door, Abby and Connor come out. 

"Just going to get lunch, we'll be back soon." Abby tells me. I nod and go into the room. I settle myself on the edge of his bed, putting the coffee on his bedside table. 

"Ah, thank you, Starlight." he says, reaching for it. I move it out of his reach. 

"Nope. I want to ask you a question." 

"Everyone's asking me questions." he complains. 

"Ah, but this is one you might be able to answer." I say. Stephen leans his head back onto his pillows. 

"Alright, shoot." 

"Am I like them? Mum and Dad?" I ask. 

"Yes. You are. Very much like them. Now, you answer one of my questions for me. What's happened while I've been out, no one's told me anything." and I launch into explaining the last few days, smiling. 

Stephen's eyes move from mine for a second and he frowns. I stop talking. 

"Alex?" he asks loudly. I look to the door, where he's looking. There's nothing there. 

"I'm here." I tell him.

***

**Season One Episode Three**

Connor and I watch as Stephen packs his bag. I had expected Abby to arrive with Connor, but she isn't here. 

"You really can't remember a thing?" Connor asks again. 

"Not a thing after I went into the tunnels." Stephen replies. "Probably for the best though, right?" 

"They say it's only short term, though." I point out, and Stephen nods. 

"It's all been pretty scary, hasn't it? You know, it's not until you got bitten that I thought one of us might actually die from doing this. It really upsets me." Connor says. I resist the urge to roll my eyes and instead just cross my legs as I sit on the bed. 

"You must have gone through hell!" Stephen says sarcastically. 

"Yep." Connor answers immediately, oblivious. "It did make me think about what's important though. You know? Sorts out your priorities a bit." I have a feeling that his priorities are slightly different from either of ours. I'm proved right a second later. "If you get killed can I have your ipod?" Connor asks. Stephen stops to stare at him, and I laugh. And then Abby walks in, and all our attention goes elsewhere. "Is that perfume?" Connor asks. 

"I can do the girl thing, you know." Abby says. I stand as Stephen puts his bag on his shoulder. 

"You look really good." he tells Abby. She does. It isn't her usual style, but she does look really nice. 

"Thanks." Abby smiles.

"It's good of you both to come, but you shouldn't have bothered." Stephen tells them. 

"Don't flatter yourself. Some of us just like hanging out with the nurses." Connor says, turning round to eye one. I hit his shoulder. "Ow!" 

"Come on, I'll give you two a lift home." Abby offers. Uh oh. 

"Oh, there's no need, my girlfriend's picking me up." Stephen tells her, and I cringe. 

"Girlfriend?" Connor asks. I hit him again. 

"Alison." I say tightly, watching Abby's face carefully.

"Yeah, she's been in the rainforest for two years researching infectious diseases." Stephen explains. Abby turns and walks over to the window as Connor says, 

"Let's hope she's not one of those girls that brings their work home with them." I hit his arm again. "Ow! Alex, you're going to leave a bruise!" 

"You must have missed her." Abby says. 

"Yeah. I'd better go. Alex?" Stephen says as he opens the door. I pat my back pocket, then the other one. 

"I just need to find my phone, you go on ahead." I tell him. My uncle nods and leaves the room as I begin searching the bed. 

"Two years." Connor starts, "How much sex are they going to have?" he asks as I look up, my phone now in my hand. Both me and Abby whack him at the same time. 

"Connor! That's my uncle! I do not need that image!" I cry before leaving the room as fast as I can.

We've only been driving for about two minutes when my phone starts ringing. I put it to my ear. 

"Alexandra Hart, annoyance extraordinaire, how may I be of service?" 

Alison laughs at my line, which I say every time I answer the phone.

_We've got another one._ Nick's voice tells me. He gives me the details and the location and hangs up. 

"Alison?" I ask, drawing out her name. 

"Yes?" 

"Can you drop us off at the Crystal Palace pool, please? Nick's got a job he wants us to do."

"Really? But Stephen's only just out of hospital."

"It's alright, Alison. It'll be important." Stephen tells her.

***

I sit squished next Connor, my feet dangling in the water beside his as Abby crouches behind us. 

"You know, with all the chlorine in the water, I'm surprised the creature came through at all." I remark as Stephen sits beside me in his swimming trunks, immediately soaking one side of my t-shirt and shorts. 

"Yeah. I mean, for a reptile, it would have been like swimming in a bucket of acid." Connor says. 

"It probably sensed the danger and got out fast before the anomaly closed." Stephen tells us as he pulls a flipper on. Abby stands and walks away. 

"So, how's Alison?" Connor asks. 

"Jet-lagged." Stephen and I answer together. 

"You see, it's funny, cause you always gave the impression like you were single." Connor says. 

"That's funny. I didn't think I was giving any impression whatsoever." Stephen replies. 

"You'd be surprised." Connor tells him, and I elbow him sharply. 

"Connor, I'm flattered. But you're really not my type." Stephen says before rolling into the water. I shriek as he splashes me and Connor, soaking us both.

***

Nick has summoned me to the Home Office, to Lester's office. A body, well, most of it, has been found in a reservoir. 

"Well, the DNA is conclusive." Claudia says once I am in the room. Nick glances at me, frowning at my wet clothes and damp hair as Claudia continues, "It's the boy from the swimming pool. Or what's left of him" she lets me see the pictures before she passes them to Lester. 

"That's a bolus." Nick says. "A regurgitated mass of flesh and bone." he explains, the r sound rolling as r sounds are wont to do in his accent.

"So, the creature swallowed him whole, and then threw up what he couldn't handle?" I ask, just to check.

"In simple terms, yes." Nick nods. Ha. Simple terms. I just say what he says in a way people can actually understand.

"What type of creature could have done this to him?" Lester asks. 

"What you should be asking yourself is how the remains of a boy who was attacked in the swimming pool ended up 20 miles away in a reservoir." Nick says.

"Maybe there never was an anomaly. Maybe the girl murdered her boyfriend in the swimming pool and dumped his body in the reservoir." Lester suggests. I pick the photographs up from his desk. 

"Yes, very likely." I start before looking at Lester, "If you believe she swallowed him whole, drove twenty miles and then vomited her boyfriend into the middle of a reservoir." I say before dropping the photos on his desk. "Yes, yes, of course. Very likely indeed." I add. Out of the corner of my eye I can see Nick trying not to smile.

"Alright, explain." Lester says. 

"We know it was the same beast in the pool and the reservoir." Nick starts, going over to the window. "Perhaps the anomaly has a fixed point of origin in the past. Yet, somehow, it remains fluid in our time." he continues, walking back, "They don't just open, they move."

***

**Abby**

Alex marches with Nick, in her wetsuit, towards Claudia. When she starts to talk to him, Alex pushes on, climbing into the boat with Stephen. 

"See, why does Stephen get all the fun stuff to do while we get stuck collecting water samples?" Connor asks. 

"He looks better in a wetsuit." I tell him. 

"That's debatable. Alex doesn't look half bad though." Connor says. I look at him. 

"If she'd heard you say that-" 

"Yeah, yeah, she would have punched me, I know. But I could do the action stuff as well, you know. I'm not just a massive intellect." he insists. I resist the urge to laugh as we keep walking. We watch as five people roll off the sides of the boats. Two of Lester's divers and Cutter, Stephen and Alex. 

"He doesn't remember a thing, you know. Stephen." Connor reminds me. 

"That's not the point." I tell him. "He knew what he was doing when he asked me out, he knew he had a girlfriend." I remind him. 

"Yeah, and he'd also just been poisoned by a giant centipede, that might have affected his judgement a bit." Connor says. I haven't told Alex. That her uncle had asked me out. I'd been allowed to clamber into the ambulance with her, and while she was doing her best not to panic and to help the paramedics, Stephen had spoken to me.

***

"You know, you look really beautiful." 

That's Stephen's voice, his breath ragged. He's looking at me. 

"You're delirious." I tell him.

"Have dinner with me." 

I glanced at Alex. She hasn't heard him. 

"We'll talk about it when you're better." I tell him. 

"I can't wait that long." 

I glance at Alex again before whispering, 

"Of course I will. And I'll have coffee at your place later and stay for breakfast in the morning."

"Good result. It's amazing how much easier this stuff is when you're dying." Stephen forces out in a hiss. 

"You're not dying." I tell him.

***

"What am I saying? You know, you're right, he's a two-timing weasel and maybe you should put that down to experience and move on. You know, there's plenty more fish in the sea." Connor tells me, pulling me out of my thoughts. 

We reach the water and wade in until it almost reaches my stomach. I've wandered further in than Connor. I hear his voice. 

"Abby?" I turn. "What's that?"

I turn my head again. 

There is something under the water coming towards me, causing strange ripples on the surface. And then part of it comes out of the water. 

I can't think of a single word to describe it except_ run_. But I can't. I stay stock-still in the water, frozen in place. It circles around me, only a few feet away. But then Connor starts to take a step forward. 

"Don't move!" I hiss. And then, suddenly, I can't see the creature anywhere. There's a few moments of silence before, 

"Go!" Connor yells, and we move at the same time, going as fast as we possibly can. We burst out of the water and onto land, moving towards the fence that was there, when the creature launches itself out of the water at us. 

Connor pulls at my arm, edging us one way, and then the other. But there is no way out, boats are blocking every path. Until he pushes me to the side and grabs an oar. Connor whacks the creature once, twice on the nose before sticking the oar in its mouth. 

But the creature just snaps straight through it. The part that has broken off sticks in its mouth for a moment before falling out, and the creature turns back into the water.

***

**Alex**

I sit in Lester's office, my uncle's battered old leather jacket wrapped around me, my knees drawn up to my chest and my arms around them. Another cardboard cup of hot chocolate is sitting in front of me, now half-empty. 

"The anomalies are time's equivalent of an earthquake. Strong enough to rip apart the boundaries between dimensions." Nick begins, walking around the office, passing a hand over my shoulder when he walks past me. "My guess is that the fault line ruptured at the swimming pool." he continues, pointing at said swimming pool on the map that's lying on the table before me. "It could crash it's way through to our time again anywhere along his line." Nick finishes as he runs his finger along the line he has drawn, going from the swimming pool to the reservoir. 

"Earthquakes? Temporal fault lines? Are we trying a little too hard, people?" Lester asks. "It's random chance, that's all." he shrugs. "There's no connection with any of it. Try to look on the bright side, Cutter. The anomaly's gone, the crisis is over, and I'd say we got off pretty lightly." 

"Except that a good is permanently marooned in the past." Claudia points out sharply.

"There could be another breach along the fault line at any given moment. You should be stationing troops at every significant body of water between the reservoir and the coast." Nick tells Lester.

"The press would be crawling all over us in seconds. How on Earth would we explain it?" Lester asks. "I mean, you admit it's all conjecture." 

"Yes, of course it is, but I'm right." Nick tells him. 

"You people, you're worse than the climate change mob!" Lester cries. Nick and Stephen both start smiling. Completely fake. "One cold day in July and suddenly it's the new Ice Age." Lester adds, and their smiles drop. 

"You're making a mistake. If and when this anomaly breaks through again, I guarantee you it will be somewhere along this line." Nick says. I trace the line with my finger and look up at him. 

"Bet a fiver on it?" I ask jokingly. 

"And a bar of chocolate."

***

Stephen pulls his jacket from my shoulders and shrugs it on himself. He stops suddenly, staring at a screen hanging out from the wall. Pictures from the Underground anomaly are on it. 

"Stephen?" I ask. He doesn't seem to hear me. "Stephen?" I say again, louder. He doesn't move. I pull at his sleeve. "Stephen. Stephen, are you alright?" I ask, raising my voice again. 

"I remember." he mutters. 

"What? Stephen, what's going on?" 

"I remember." he says again, still not looking at me. He moves off suddenly, walking quickly and leaving me behind. I stand, watching him go. I feel a hand on my arm. 

"What was that?" Nick asks. I shake my head. 

"I have no idea." 

We find him leaning on a rail as we go down the stairs. Nick claps a hand on his shoulder. "Come on, let's go." he says, but Stephen doesn't move. I find the end of his sleeve and cling to it. 

"Stephen? Stephen, what's wrong?"

"I've been remembering things." he says, turning. Nick obviously knows what he means, but I don't. Without looking at me Nick says, 

"Princess, why don't you go on ahead." I frown. He hasn't called me that in years, not since before Helen went missing.

"No. If there's something wrong, I want to know." I tell him. Nick sighs, and then looks at Stephen. 

"You mean Helen?" he asks. And then I remember. Stephen had seen Helen after he was bitten, but he couldn't remember it. Until now. Until he'd seen those pictures. 

"Why didn't you tell anyone?" my uncle asks. "Did you go looking for her?" 

"Look, if she wanted to talk to me then she could have." Nick says. So she's alive then. Helen, alive, after all these years. "Why keep playing games with me?" Nick continues, and my uncle scoffs. 

"You mean this isn't the first time?" he asks. 

"How long have you known she was alive, Nick?" I ask quietly, my voice barely there. Helen was the closest thing I'd ever had to a mother, and I'd lost her.

"Not long." Nick tells us. "But all these years, she let me think she was dead. She let me go through that. What does that tell you?" 

"Come on, there could be all kinds of reasons why she stayed away." Stephen says. And I am plunged into a memory.

***

I'm about eight. I'm staying at their house that night. The Cutter house. And I can hear them yelling, way past my bedtime. Another argument. It scares me. I've only heard them that angry once or twice before. But then it stops suddenly with Helen screaming, 

"Well, I'll just clear off and leave then!" 

I had shrunk into my duvet. I hear footsteps, and then my door creaking open. Helen creeps in. 

"Are you awake, Alex darling?" she whispers. I pull the duvet closer. Helen's been crying. "It's okay. Everything's alright." Helen tells me as she sits at the foot of my bed. She waves a hand. "Give me a hug, Alex." And I crawl over to her and give her the biggest hug I can. I want her to feel better. Helen moves a hand over my hair as she rests her chin on the top of my head. I had pulled away from her, asking, 

"What were you arguing about, Helen?" 

She had shaken her head. 

"Nothing, darling."

***

"The point is, she wants to see you know." Stephen adds, pulling me out of my thoughts. 

"She left you to die on your own." Nick reminds him. 

"Maybe she thought help was coming." 

"Maybe she didn't care." my head jerks up at Nick's words. "You think I don't want to know what happened? I've thought of nothing else for eight years." Nick says. "But what if...what if the truth is worse than not knowing?" he asks. "Are you going to tell the others?" Nick asks my uncle. It's like I'm not here. 

"No, it's not my call." Stephen says. "But if she was my wife, I'd go through a million anomalies for her." he adds. 

"Yeah, but she's not your wife, is she?" 

"But she was important to me too." 

"I know that."

***

I can hear Claudia and Nick through the wall. I go through to the next room. The living room, as it turns out. I sit on the floor, leaning against the wall, and cover my ears with my hands. I take them away a few minutes later when I feel the vibrations of footsteps coming towards me. Captain Ryan slides himself down the wall to sit beside me. 

"Alright, Alexandra?" he ask. 

"Alex." I correct automatically before cringing. 

"Alex." he amends. "Okay?" 

"Yeah, yeah. I'm fine." I say, and Ryan leans his head back on the wall. 

"You know, you're a good liar, Alex. Not good enough."

"It's just...if she's alive, if Helen's alive. She's been lying to us, hiding in time for eight years. Why hasn't she said anything before now?"

"How old were you when she disappeared?" Ryan asks. 

"Eleven. She left a week before my twelfth birthday." I tell him. There is silence for a few minutes. 

"I lost my father. I joined the army when I was seventeen. He died a month later. I didn't even know he was ill, he hadn't told anyone. He was all the family I had. Ever since I've asked myself why he wouldn't tell me, why he'd let me go to the army. And I know that's not the same, but I'm just saying that I understand." I look at him as he looks at me. 

"Thank you, Captain. Really." I say, voice oddly soft. We stay like that for a few moments before Ryan stands. He turns and holds a hand out to me. I take it, letting him help me to my feet. 

"Come on. Let's go face the music." I follow him outside to see Lester getting out of his car. Oh crap. "Area secured, sir." Ryan tells him, but Lester doesn't even seem to see us. We follow him in to where everyone else is waiting.

**Stephen**

"The revelation that Helen Cutter's still alive changes everything." Lester starts. 

"She's still alive?" Connor asks. "Um, how did I miss that?"

"It's a long story." Claudia tells him. 

"So eight years she's been living in the past?" he asks. He seems to realise something suddenly. "My God! How are we going to explain Celebrity Love Island to her?" Alex looks as though, if she wasn't still standing next to Captain Ryan, she would hit Connor. 

"Shut up, Connor." Claudia says. 

"She's eight years ahead of us in terms of understanding the anomalies. Her knowledge could be priceless and we have to share it." Lester says.

"Which is fine if she were here, but she isn't." I point out. 

"Which is why we're going to go and find her." Lester tells me. "We know she wants to make contact. She must be brought back here. By force if necessary." Lester says, looking at Nick as he says his last sentence. 

"This is my wife you're talking about." Nick reminds him. 

"Which is why I want you to go through the anomaly and bring her back." Lester says. "You will, of course, have a military escort." he add. 

"To do what? Shoot her if she won't come back?" 

"To protect you. Both of you. The alternative is you sever all ties with the anomaly project with immediate effect. And we'll go find her ourselves." 

"Okay. On one condition. I go on my own. There's no question of force. I'll do my best, but if she doesn't want to come back, then that's it." Nick says. 

"How can we trust you?" Claudia asks. Nick looks at her, surprised and hurt. 

"Oh, I'm sure Professor Cutter won't let us down again." Lester says. He moves to walk away, but pauses and looks at Nick again. 

"You will try and remember what side you're on, won't you?"

***

Alex crouches between Claudia and Captain Ryan as I feed the rope through my hands and Nick swims towards the anomaly. Alex stands suddenly and I turn my head just long enough to see her going up the stairs and out of sight. She hasn't said anything, just left. 

"Alex?" I call after her. 

"Will I..." Claudia starts, but Captain Ryan interrupts her. 

"I'll go." he stands, following my niece out. Claudia and I frown in confusion after him.

**Alex**

Captain Ryan finds me again, out in the garden.

"Second time today, I'm not going to be able to get back up if this happens again." he says, and I feel my lips twitch. "Do you want me to get Stephen? Or Claudia?" I ask. I shake my head.

"No. I don't really want to talk about it." she tells me. "It's just that so many things are happening, so many impossible things and I can't make sense of it. So many different voices and thoughts and arguments. And I can't concentrate on any of it." he moves so he mirrors me, ankles crossed, knees up, arms wrapped around them. 

"My dad always used to say music helped her concentrate. Block out the world around him." I tell her. I don't know why he's telling me this. But I appreciate it. I hold up my phone, earphones wrapped loosely around it.

"Well, I don't have any music." I tell him. He pulls something small out of his pocket. An iPod.

"You can use that, if you want." he tells me. I look at the small device in his outstretched hand.

"Why are you doing this? Why are you being so nice?" I ask, and I feel my cheeks going warm. The words had escaped before I could think. He shrugs and sets the iPod down on the ground. 

"You know, I actually have no idea." he tells me before he stands. "But you can use it, if you like. I will warn you, my dad was quite the fan of Queen." I say. I feel my mouth curving into an almost-smile

"Alright. Thank you, Captain."

"Tom."

***

I sit in the garden for I don't know how long, Freddie Mercury singing into my ears. Captain Ryan's dad was right. The music is helping a bit to block stuff out. Until I hear an ambulance, see it park outside the house. I run into the house, ripping the earphones out. I find Stephen and Claudia and Captain Ryan watching as Nick is wheeled out on a gurney. 

"Stephen!" I shout. 

"He's okay. He'll be just fine." he tells me. He's not looking at me. It sounds like he's trying to convince himself. Claudia turns to Tom, Captain Ryan. 

"You know what to do." she says to him.

"Let's go!" he calls.

"Tom?" I ask. For a second, his head turns and he sees me, sees my face. Something in his own features changes. But the he turns back, and divers follow him to the cellar. Special Forces divers. 

"Who's this?" Stephen asks. 

"Sorry, it's out of my hands." Claudia says, turning away. 

Special Forces. They're going in to get Helen.

***

I find Nick in the ambulance, Abby sitting across from him and Connor standing outside. Nick lifts his head slowly. 

"How long have I been out for?" he asks. 

"Not long." Abby tells him after a moment. 

"I have to talk to Claudia." Nick says, standing. 

"Nick, wait!" I don't get any further as he jumps out the door and the soldiers come running, pointing their guns at him. 

"Stand still! Don't move!" 

"What's going on?" Nick asks. 

"Stay still!" a soldier orders loudly. I step forward. 

"Look, he's not going to do anything!" I tell them. Connor pulls me back. 

"Alex, don't." he mutters. 

It's then that Lester, Captain Ryan and Claudia come out of the house. Followed by the divers, Stephen, and...

"Helen!" I yell it without thinking, pushing forward. "Helen!" 

Helen's head whips round. I don't think she recognises my voice. But she recognises my face.

"Alex?" that's her voice. That's Helen. Calling for me. I move to go forward, but Connor is still holding my shoulders. 

"Alex!" Helen shouts again, and then she sees Nick. I glance back at him. His mouth is open with shock. I turn my head again to see Stephen being pushed back by Lester before Lester and Claudia climb into the same car as Helen has been shoved into. 

I can't speak, can't form a single thought. 

She's alive. 

She's here.


	4. Hold On

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's death in this one, folks. But if you've seen it, you already know that...…..

_Season One Episode Four_ **   
** **Alex**

We have another one, another creature attack. I'm trying not to think about Helen. Something about her feels...off. But I shake the feeling away. I've only seen her. I haven't spoken to her properly or anything. But still, something feels wrong. We pile out of the car and follow the soldiers. There are kids standing in a line, their hands up as their ball rolls away from them. Stephen turns, kicking the ball with his heel. It bounces off a_ No Ball Games_ sign. 

"Fluke." Connor says immediately. 

"Show-off." I add, though I'm smiling. 

"Jealous?" Stephen asks before bounding up the stairs after Nick. 

"No. Why would I be jealous?" Connor says. 

"Well, he is an Olympic standard athlete." I point out. 

"Is he?" Connor asks as we start up the stairs. I nod.

"Fencing, shooting, possibly running too."

"I'd have done that instead of being a lab assistant. What happened?" Connor asks, and my smile falters.

"I did."

I move quicker up the stairs, skipping steps. I find Ryan's men crowded around a door, pouring in as the door opens Soon, Nick and Stephen are standing on one side of the bathroom door, me on the other, surrounded by soldiers as Connor waits in the corridor. 

"I didn't expect the S.A.S."

"Town council takes pest control very seriously, Mrs Davis." Nick tells her before moving away from the door. Captain Ryan bursts through it, and I follow before Nick or Stephen have a chance to grab me. I nearly laugh when I see what's lying on the floor.

"It's cool, guys. It's just a python." I call. There's a scream, and I whip round.

"Only a python! What the hell were you expecting?" Mrs Davis yells. Connor puts a hand to his ear.

"Ow."

***  
  
My phone rings almost the second I step out of the flat. Claudia.

"Alexandra Hart, annoyance extraordinaire, how may I be of service?" I ask in my best air hostess voice.

_She wants to talk to you_.

I push myself off the wall I had been leaning on. 

"Helen? She wants to talk to me? Why?"

_Well, I was rather hoping you'd find that out for us. She won't tell us anything unless she gets to talk to you._

"Me?" I say, stepping away from the flat. 

_Yes. And Lester's ready to flip a table. I'd get here quickly, if I were you._

"Yeah, yeah, course. I'll be right down." I say instantly. Claudia hangs up. I slide my phone into my pocket and lean on the balcony. Eight years. She's been gone eight years. And she wants to talk to me. I can't quite understand it. Why not Nick? I'm just the orphan girl she was godmother to, the charity case. He's her husband. The man she loved. Or she said she did. But if she loved him, why was she always arguing with them when she was still here? If she loved him, why did she threaten to leave him over and over? I couldn't understand it, and I still can't.

"Alex? Alex? There you are, I was looking for you."I turn to the voice. 

"Tom Ryan." 

"Abby's just going to come up to give us a hand with the python, but we're clearing off now." he tells me.

"Oh, you should tell Nick. I need to go too." I say to him, and he frowns. "Claudia's asked me to go back to the Home Office." I explain.

"That's where I'm going. I could give you a lift if you liked." Ryan offers. I think for a moment. I'd come in the car with Nick, Stephen and Connor. If I take it, they have no way home. If I don't, I'll have to walk to the Home Office, which will take forever.

"Yeah. Okay."

***

There is silence in the car. The van, really. It had held all the soldiers when we'd arrived at the flat. I'm thinking. What are you meant to say to someone who's been gone eight years? How do you act around them, seeing as you'd thought they were dead for so long?

"Can I ask you a question? About your dad?" I ask suddenly. Ryan turns his head to look at me for a moment.

"Yeah, sure."

"If he came back. Just like, suddenly appeared in your life again. How...how would you feel? How would you talk to him? Knowing he hadn't been dead?"

There's a moment of silence. Shit. I've pushed it too far. Damn it. I don't want to ruin the unexpected friendship I have with the captain. Swears run through my head.

"Sorry, sorry. I shouldn-" I start, but he's shaking his head.

"No, no, it's fine. I...I suppose I don't know. I mean, I'd be happy to see him again, sure. Somewhat relieved, I suppose. But I'd be bloody furious, you know?" he says, glancing at me again. "Are you going to talk to Helen?"

I nod.

"I just...I don't know how to...be around her."

"You'll be fine, Alex."

"Thank you, Tom Ryan."

***

I don't sit when I walk into the room. I stay close to the door. She's watching my every move. Now she's in front of me, actually, physically there, and we aren't separated by glass, something definitely feels wrong. I feel on edge, ready to flee at a moment's notice.

"Come closer, Alex darling, I can barely see you tucked away in the darkness."

I'm suddenly reminded of movies. Old movies I've never watched, but have heard about. Movies where psychopaths had been locked up._ Stay three feet away from the glass_, the guards always said._ Come closer,_ the psychopath would say,_ I can hardly see you, _or, _the light isn't so good._ I shake my head. Helen isn't a psychopath. I force myself to sit in one of the chairs, arguing with myself.

"You've grown up. You've changed so much." Helen says.

"Yeah, well, eight years does that." I hadn't been sure how I would be with her. Apparently, I'm going to be pissed off.I'm not looking at her. I keep my eyes trained on the wall above her head.

"I missed you." she says, and my eyes snap back to her.

"Then why didn't you come back?" I ask.

"You wouldn't understand."

"Well, help me understand!"

Helen sighs, "I can't."

"Tell me about the anomalies then. Help me understand those." I say. Helen pauses, thinking, before leaning forwards.

"You could always come back through with me."

"No, I think I'd rather stay with the people I love and not ruin their lives, thanks." I snap. She jerks back. Helen never took rejection well, I remember. And she's not used to me back-chatting her. But then she schools her features.

"But you're my little sidekick. My best lab assistant, darling." she's smiling. It's making my skin crawl.

"I was, once. Before you left me."

"Everyone leaves, Alex. One way or another, they all leave."

"But you didn't have to!" I cry, standing again. "You didn't have to leave us. Him. Do you have any idea what Nick was like after you left?" I ask. "He searched everywhere for you. Everywhere. He wouldn't come home for days at a time. And then there was the funeral. He stopped begging people to help after that. But he never stopped looking for you. And you...you just let him. You let him fall apart." I turn to the glass. "I want out."The door opens and I march out. I lean against the door, tipping my head back. 

"I thought I'd be happy when I saw her, you know?" I say. I feel a hand on my arm.

"I know, Alex. I'm sorry." Claudia says. I shake my head.

"Not your fault."

I move my head off the door to see Lester standing in front of me. I move out of the way and he goes through the door. I catch Claudia's elbow just before she follows. "Is there somewhere I can just sit for a minute?" I ask.

"Yes, of course. Through those doors and to the right, you shouldn't be disturbed there." she tells me.

"Thank you." but I don't go to the room. Not right away. I press myself against the glass. 

"Look, Helen, at the end of the day this is about something very simple. Saving lives. And you can do that. So if you know anything, anything at all, just tell us." Claudia says.

"We've let you talk to Alex, so now it's your turn to do us a favour." Lester says bluntly.

"Bring Nick to me and I'll tell you everything." Helen says.

"I'm sorry, did you not just hear what I said? You agreed to tell us if we let you speak to Alex." Lester says.

"Circumstances change. Bring Nick to me, and I'll tell you everything I know."

I leave. But I don't go to the room. I leave the whole building. I pull out my phone.

"Stephen? Come pick me up, would you?"

**Tom**

I'm bored. Really bored. And Duncan is yawning. But I straighten up when I catch sight of someone walking towards the flat Connor had gone into.

"Oh no, that must be the real boyfriend." I say, poking Duncan. But then a girl catches up with the man, just as he passes the van.

"Isn't that-"

"Alex Hart." I groan before Duncan can say it. "Oi, what if she's ratted him out?" I ask. A swear escapes me as Alex's head turns.

"Shit, she's seen us." Duncan mutters.

"Yeah, I saw that for myself." I tell him. Crap crap _crap_, she's walking towards us, calling something out to the man. He shrugs and carries on walking. I turn to Duncan.

"What do we do?" I ask. He just stares out the window at her, just as she taps on it. I roll the window down as she crosses her arms.

"Thomas Macleod." she tilts her head for a moment before righting it again. "And Duncan Webster. Care to explain what the hell you're doing here?" she asks, quirking up an eyebrow.

"Uh, no." Duncan says, finding his voice first.

"It wasn't really a question." Alex tells him before looking at me again. "What are you doing here, Tom?" it's the first time she's ever called me that. I still can't say anything.

"Well, it's either you tell me or I get the coppers after you. You shouldn't be here." she says.

"Don't call the police on us!" I say, finding my voice. "We were dropping Connor off, that's all."

"Connor?" Alex asks, confused. Then understanding dawns on her face. "Ah. Right." she turns her head to look at the flat before shaking her head as she turns it back. "Of course he asked her." she mutters. 

"Wait, you didn't know he was coming?" Duncan asks.

"No, I didn't. Why's he here?" Alex asks.

"Kicked out of his flat." I say.

"He could have stayed with us." Alex sighs.

"Us?" I ask. Alex frowns for a moment.

"Oh yeah, you don't know."

"Don't know what?" Duncan asks.

"The guy that went in, he's my uncle, I live with him." she explains.

"So he's not blondie's boyfriend?" I ask.

"Blondie? Oh, you mean Abby." Alex scrunches her nose up. "No. No, course not. He's got a girlfriend. And I have to go in, so goodbye." Alex turns and takes a few steps away from the van. She stops and turns again. 

"Look, guys. We're mates, but you do have to go."

"Uh, yeah, course." I mumble, starting up the van. Alex turns and walks towards the flat. Duncan's turned his head to watch her. 

"She's waiting for us to go."

I drive the van away after rolling up the window. I let out a breath. 

"She's scary, isn't she?" I ask once Duncan's facing the road again.

"You're the one that asked her out, mate." he reminds me.

**Alex**

I get to the top of the stairs just as Stephen's coming down. 

"Brace yourself." he tells me. "I'll wait in the car."

I frown, confused, but continue up the stairs. I soon understand what he'd meant.

"Oh. Hi. Sorry, I didn-"

"It's fine." Abby tells me. "Absolutely fine."

"Is that Alex?" a voice calls. Connor. And then he appears. I look back at Abby, who immediately says,

"No. Don't even go there." then she turns to go upstairs. "I thought you were getting dressed, we have to go!" she calls down to Connor once she's upstairs. I fold my arms as he walks towards me.

"Why were Tom and Duncan hanging about so long?" I ask.

"What?"

"Why were-"

I'm cut off by a sudden, strangely familiar chirping. 

"What was that?" I ask, stepping towards the source of the noise, a covered tank.

"What was what?" Connor asks.

"Connor." I warn. I reach the tank and put a hand out to the cloth that's covering it.

"No, Alex, don't-"

He's too late, I've pulled the cloth off. A Coelurosauravus looks up at me.

"Rex." I breathe. I hear a swear. Abby. I look at her as she stops at the bottom of the stairs. 

"You kept him?" I ask. Abby rushes towards me.

"Yes. Yes, I did, but please don't tell anyone. They'll take him away. Please, Alex." she pleads. I hesitate.

"Okay. But he better not get me in trouble."

***

We're in the kitchen of the football stadium. I move to stand beside Claudia, who's staring at a pair of thick metal double doors. 

"In there?" she asks. 

"Yep. In there." Helen tells her.

"Connor." Claudia says. I step forward with him and look at his compass. The needle isn't moving at all.

"There's no trace of a magnetic field." Connor says.

"The doors are too thick, it can't penetrate the metal." Helen says as I turn. 

"Is that true?" Claudia asks, looking at Nick.

"Possible." he tells her. 

"Watch her." Claudia tells Ryan. He steps towards Helen as I move away from the doors so Claudia could get through. As she reaches for the handles however, 

"Hey!" Claudia turns. "What if the cats have already come through? They could be right behind that door." Helen says.

"You know what, she's really starting to get on my nerves." Claudia says, walking towards Helen.

"I can understand that." Nick says. Stephen tries to hide a laugh.

"You're bluffing." Claudia says.

"She's not." I tell her. Claudia turns.

"Really?" she doesn't believe me. I tap the side of my head.

"I'm observant. It's even on my file as a special skill." I say.

"When did you see your file?" Claudia asks.

"When I nicked it from Lester's office." I shrug. "But she's not lying. Not entirely."

"Stephen." Claudia says, and my uncle goes for the door, picking up the chain around the handles. He's just started patting down his pockets when Helen pulls out a knife and holds it out to him. I step forward and push it away.

"I think not." I pull my emergency hairpin from my back pocket and start working on the lock.

"And how you know how to do that?" Claudia asks.

"Look at my file." I say simply before dropping the now unlocked padlock. I pull at the doors, but they don't want to open. "Stephen." together, we can't quite manage, so I move out of the way and let Ryan help him pull the doors slowly open. It's only then it hits me.

Anomaly.

Magnetic field.

Metal utensils.

"Get down!"

It's a minute or two before things stop flying, and we all stand slowly. Connor is in the cupboard, holding a pie. 

"Anybody hungry?" he asks.

"Oh my God." Helen starts. "The meat will act like bait!"

"Ryan!" Claudia yells. He catches her just before she reaches the cupboard, him and another soldier holding her back.

"Unless you want your men to be breakfast, I suggest you do something." she shouts at him as Nick starts passing boxes of pies back to me and Stephen. Ryan and the soldier let her go and help us wheel the tall trays of pies out of the way. But then Helen runs.

"Get her back!" Claudia yells, and Ryan ran after her. Nick tries to go after them, but is held back. He sends a look to me, and then Stephen. Stephen looks to me and nods. They move together, shoving soldiers out of the way. I sprint through the anomaly, followed by Claudia's voice, "For God's sake, someone stop her!"

The anomaly to a hill. I stumble and roll down in, coming up on my knees. Ryan turns, gun aimed at me. I hold up my hands.

"Woah, Tom Ryan." 

He shakes his head and holds out a hand to haul me to my feet.

"Bloody hell, Alex." 

"No, Ryan, it's a hill, not hell." I look around. And freeze. "Oh my God." I breathe, turning. And again, "Oh my God." I find myself smiling. 

Anomalies. Countless anomalies, as far as the eye can see. I keep turning, staring at it all. Then I meet Ryan again.

"We have to go." he tells me. I pull out my phone.

"Two seconds." I spin again, taking pictures. I turn full circle, still holding my phone up. I grin. "Pose for me, Captain." he takes the phone from my hands, but not before I've snapped a few pictures. 

"No. Home, now."

"Yeah. Which one's home again?"

"Alex." he warns.

"Okay, okay. Take me home, Tom Ryan."

Once we're back through, I connect my phone to Connor's laptop. I'm hoping I won't get yelled at by Claudia. 

"It's incredible." Nick says.

"A spaghetti junction of anomalies." Connor smiles.

"There was no way we could have followed her, Nick, I'm sorry." I apologise.

"It would have been like running into a hall of mirrors." Stephen says.

"Let me guess. Not one sabretooth cat in sight." Claudia says.

"Not so much as a whisker." I tell her.

"You said she wasn't lying." Claudia says, turning to me. I don't look at her.

"I said not entirely." I correct.

"You tried to follow her." she says, directing her words at Nick now.

"To stop her. What possible reason could I have for wanting her to escape? I want answers more than anyone." Nick says.

"Incoming!" that's Ryan's voice, accompanied by the sounds of about a dozen guns being aimed at the anomaly. I hear faint...squawking.

"That doesn't sound like cats..." I start.

***

It certainly isn't cats. It's dodos. One's dead, and Nick, Stephen and Abby have found some kind of parasite in it. I hear a phone ringing. Connor's. He's left it on the table.

"Hi, this is Connor Temple's phone." I answer.

_Alexandra?_

"Duncan? What's up?"

_I need to talk to Connor._

He's not here right now. What's wrong, maybe I can help."

_I don't think you can._

***

"You did what?" Connor asks.

"We just sort of took it." Duncan says.

"How did you know?" I ask.

"Well, we followed you." Duncan starts, looking at Connor. "It's some kind of mutant, it bit Tom." he adds. My phone is already in my hand. "He's really sick." Duncan continues.

"Well, you're both idiots." Connor tells him. Duncan sees what I'm doing.

"No, you're not calling the police!" he says. I put my phone to my ear.

"No, Duncan, I'm not. This, this is way past police." the call is answered. "Claudia?"

***  
  
"How infectious is this thing?" Claudia asks.

"It's not a virus." I remind her.

"It's a parasite." Nick tells her.

"And Tom is the host?" Claudia asks. 

"Yeah, and we have to isolate him before he passes it on to anyone else." Nick says, clapping a hand on Ryan's shoulder as I open the door. "Whatever you do when you go in there, don't let him come anywhere near you." I follow Ryan in, just as Claudia says, 

"Are you the idiot that stole the dodo?"

I start up the stairs, but I'm pulled back.

"Oi, Alex Hart, you let us go first." Ryan says, pushing me behind him.

"But I know him, I can help."

"So he's going to go for you first, isn't he?" he asks in a tone one might use at a nursery school. I push past Ryan and carry on up the stairs.

"I can protect myself, Captain."

The flat is a bit of a wreck. It looks mostly like it had been done by the dodo.

"Tom?" I call, pushing open a door, shouting his name again. "Thomas Macleod, where the hell are you? It's only me!"

"Tom! Tom, where are you mate?" Ryan calls. I carry on through the flat as Claudia arrives. I find Nick and Stephen crouching next to a bed. I join them. 

"You know those movies when you think the killer's finally dead, and then all of a sudden he just jumps back up again?" Stephen asks as we look at the dodo body under the bed.

"Yeah, I hate those films." Ryan says suddenly from behind me before he crouches beside me. His sudden voice surprises me, making me jump a little.

"Me too." Stephen says.

"I make a point of not watching those films." I mutter.

"After you." Stephen says, nudging Nick. He edges his hand under the bed and pokes the dodo before turning his head. 

"It's dead."

"You sure?" Claudia asks from the door.

"Pretty sure." Nick tells her, hitting the bird's beak. He tips the bed onto its side. "Alright, bag it up, but be careful." he warns.

"One minute it was friendly, the next he just went crazy." Duncan says as I stand.

"The parasite changed the dodo's behaviour to suit it's own purposes." Nick tells him.

"Which were?" Claudia asks.

"To pass itself on." I tell her.

"That's why it bit Tom." Nick starts.

"So it could incubate its eggs in the new host." Stephen explains, and I shoot him a look. Insensitive much?

"It's not safe to be around him." Nick says. "I'm sorry. Maybe if we had got to him straight away then he'd at least had a chance." he continues, looking at Connor. "But the parasite is light sensitive so wherever Tom is, he's going to be trying to stay in the dark." Nick says before leaving the room. I take an old burlap coffee sack from Stephen as Ryan lifts the dodo. 

"Right, we need to get this back to the lab so Abby can prepare it for autopsy." Stephen says. Dodo now in sack, I hold onto it.

"I'll take it down, I'm going to give her a hand."

***

"Oh no, I've left my phone in the car." Abby says.

"You can go get it if you like, I'll start on little birdbrain." I tell her. Abby smiles gratefully.

"Thanks, Alex. It's just that my brother's meant to call me today, I don't want to miss him." she tells me before ducking through the curtains. 

I pull a pair of gloves on and lay the dodo on its tray. I start putting out tools. But then I stopped and pull out my phone. I need to text Stephen, just so he knows we're about to start. 

I feel eyes on me.

"Abby? That you?" I call. I hear a voice. But it isn't Abby's.

"They're after me."

I don't take my eyes from the shadow on the other side of the curtain as I tap out a message to Abby on my phone.

_ Stay away. Get help._

The voice goes on, "I need...I need proof. I need your help." I pull the plastic curtains open.

"Tom. Tom, it's Alex."

His hood's up. He's wearing sunglasses. Of course he is. Light sensitive parasite. There's something wrapped around his arm. Tom takes a step forwards, and then holds up a finger.

"Are they watching us now?" he asks. I shake my head.

"No. No, they're not." I tell him as he goes over to the light switch, clicking the light off.

"Are you one of them?" Tom asks, turning back to me and taking the glasses off, pushing his hood down.

"There is no them, Tom." I tell him.

"Okay. Tell me what's going on with these things then." he says, gesturing towards the dodo. I take too long to answer. "Tell me!" he barks. I take an involuntary step backwards, and Tom puts his head on the table. "I don't feel very well, okay?"

"Tom, it's alright." I say, stepping forwards again. But he steps back, holding out his hands.

"No. No, don't come near me, Alex. I like you. I don't want to hurt you."

"You wouldn't hurt me, Tom." I say. Tom shakes his head.

"No, no, cause I will. I won't mean to, but I will. Just...stay away from me, Alex." he tells me. I nod and take a step back.

"Okay. Okay." I say as Tom lowers his head. But then he lifts it again, his face contorted. His eyes have changed colour somehow.

"What have you done to me?"

**Stephen**

"Okay, when Tom's in trouble, what's his first reaction?" Nick asks.

"Tom doesn't get into trouble." Connor says.

"He's not that sort of bloke." Duncan adds. I lean my head back, resisting the urge to shout at them.

"Then put yourselves in his shoes. What will he be thinking? Where would he go?" Nick asks.

"He'd be trying to find out what this whole conspiracy's about." Duncan says immediately. I groan.

"There is no conspiracy." I say, for what I think is the seventh time since I've met Duncan Webster.

"So what's all this then? A meeting of the local women's institute? The CIA? The Free Masons? The Illuminati? You people are always hiding the truth. Tom was right about everything. That's why we put the transmitter on you." Duncan says, turning his head to look at Connor as he speaks. 

"What? You bugged me?" Connor asked. "Of course you did. Cause that's how you found the dodo, right?"

"You were the one with all the secrets. Swat teams, girlfriends-"

"Duncan, do us a favour. Tell me where it is." Connor cuts in, going through his pockets.

"It's on your bag. Inside Roswell." Duncan tells him.

"You sneaky little-"

"Wait, wait, wait, how did you track it?" Nick asks before Connor can finish his sentence. 

"Tom modified the sat nav, on his Palm top." Duncan tells him, and Nick is on his feet in a second, walking round to Duncan.

"Well then, he's going to come here?" Nick asks. "If Tom wants answers, he's going to follow the transmitter. He's coming to you." he says, pushing Connor lightly.

"No, not quite. The dodo swallowed it." Duncan says. 

"The transmitter's inside the dodo..." I start, before a horrible thought hits me and my chair scrapes backwards as I stand. "And the dodo's with Alex and Abby."

I try to not sound angry, but it's not really working.

"You idiots. You've just turned my niece into bait."

**Alex**

I'm on the other side of the room from Tom. He's scaring me, really scaring me. I hope Abby's listened to my message.

"Tom, you've got to calm down, alright?"

"Am I going to die?" Tom asks. His voice sounds broken, like he might cry.

"No. No, I'm not going to let that happen." I tell him. Tom starts edging forwards, and I go further round the table.

"What's are they growing inside of me?" he asks.

"The dodo, Tom. It bit you, gave you a parasite."

"Do you think I'm an idiot? Dodos are extinct." Tom says, waving his hands above said dodo. "They're just...who's we? Who are you, Alex? Who are they? Just tell me the truth. What are they really doing?"

"I am telling the truth, Tom. I need to take you to the hospital."

"What, so you can put another thing inside me?" Tom asks. His eyes have changed again, and he bolts round the table. I'm not quite quick enough. He has hold of my hand, my arm. I hit him.

"Get off! Tom!"

"You people are evil." he hisses. Tom points at the dodo. "See, that's proof." he leans down so he's at my level. "When I'm better, I'll need proof. Cause you'll try discredit me."

"No, no, Tom, you don't understand-"

"But I'm cleverer than you."

"Tom, listen to me. Me, Alex Hart. Who would never tell you a lie. You've been infected by a parasite. And we need to get rid of it." I tell him. Tom just pushes me to the ground before landing beside me. He still has hold of my wrist, and he's bringing it closer and closer to his mouth.

"Tom, no! I'll tell you! I'll show you where it came from!" I cry. Tom's let go of my wrist, his hand now at his mouth as if he's only just realised what he'd been about to do. "I'll show you where it came from."

***

Tom is stroking the dodo as I stop the car.

"Poor thing." he mutters. "You killed it, Alex."

"I didn't kill anything, Tom." my wrist is suddenly caught again as I try to get out of the car. 

"Don't lie to me." Tom hisses. I turn my head to look at him.

"I would never lie to you."

"Things don't just happen, it's all connected." Tom carries on as if he hasn't heard me.

"I'm on your side, Thomas Macleod. It's me and you against the world right now. You can trust me, Tom."

"I do trust you."

"Good. Remember that. Alex Hart is on your side. Now come on, I'll show you the anomaly."

When we get to the entrance I show the soldier there my badge. He looks at Tom suspiciously.

"He's a Home Office scientist. Just hasn't got his accreditation yet." I lie fluently. The soldier hasn't moved. I pull out my phone and dangle it in front of him. "Or should I just get Lester down here to clear that up?" I ask, raising an eyebrow. As the phone moves I see it light up with messages.

One from Stephen, 

_We're coming, Starlight_

One from Abby,

_I'm safe, I called Stephen_

And one from Captain Ryan,

_Stay away from him, Alex. Wait for us. Do not engage._

Like hell I'm waiting for them. The soldier lets us pass and Tom follows me down the corridors to the kitchen. I pull the doors open and turn to Tom.

"This is all I have. There was an anomaly here, and the dodos came through it." I tell him. He walks into the cupboard as I walk out. If I'm not close enough for him to touch me, I'm safe. "Look, Tom, you have to believe me. It was right there. It's like...a gateway. And the dodos came through."

"Do you think I'm stupid?" he asks, turning.

"No, I don't, you know that."

"It's a trap." he speaks as if he hasn't heard me, stepping out of the cupboard. "It's a trap." he says again, taking off the sunglasses as I shake my head.

"No, Tom, it's not-"

"They're coming here to kill me, aren't they? You told them, and now they're going to kill me." Tom is still walking towards me. Faster, faster. And I'm walking backwards, trying to stay as far away from him as possible. Tom's eyes have changed again. I pull at a rack and turn, sprinting away from him.

Every door I try is locked. Every single one. Tom appears at the end of the corridor.

"Alex!"

I duck into a changing room, pulling a locker door closed behind me. The door to the hall bursts open a moment later.

"Where are you!"

Something hits the locker door and it creaks open. Tom turns. Before he can move I'm on him, pushing him backwards and against the lockers and running again. I'm on the pitch now. I don't know where Tom is anymore. And then something big and heavy knocks me to the ground. I scream as Tom lands on top of me, one hand at my throat, his mouth open, teeth bared.

"Tom! Tom, no, don't do it! Tom!" I'm screaming at him, writhing on the ground. I hear another voice.

"I've got a clear shot!" that's Ryan. Captain Ryan. They're here. They're going to shoot Tom.

"No!" I yell it at the same time as Connor does. Tom has frozen, still half on top of me, as Connor moves to stand between us and Ryan. I can see two other soldiers, my uncle, all of them pointing guns at Tom. I can see Abby clinging to Nick's arm, Claudia next to them. And Connor, turning slowly to us.

"Tom, it's me. Let Alex go, mate."

Tom looks down at me. I can't imagine what my face must be like. His own is filling with horror at what he'd nearly done. But then his grip on my throat tightens.

"Easy!" Connor says as I gasp, half in pain and half for any kind of breath. My hand is moving up, up to Tom's shoulder.

"It's me and you, Tom. Me and you, and Connor. Us against the world." I choke out. "We can fix this."

"You remember Thursday nights, don't you? Battlestar Galactica? Blake's Seven? Pepperoni pizza?" Connor asks.

"Connor?" Tom asks. His voice is small and scared. He's as terrified as I am.

"Yeah. They were good times. Weren't they? You can fight the dark side, mate. You really can." Connor says. And suddenly, Tom's let go of me. Instantly, I scramble away. I can't quite get to my feet. I sit leaning against the first row of seats, gulping in air and rubbing my throat.

"You too, Connor. Move away. He will kill you." Ryan says. Tom sits too, on the ground. Connor takes a step towards him. 

"No, he won't." Connor moves slowly, crouching in front of Tom. "He's my friend." then he speaks to Tom. "You come with me. We can help you."

"It was a conspiracy, wasn't it, Con?" Tom asks.

"Big time. Right to the top." Connor tells him.

"Was it alien mind control?"

"Yeah."

"Brilliant." Tom says. But I can see his eyes changing again.

"Connor!" I yell, but Tom just falls into Connor, putting his head on his shoulder.

"It's okay." Connor says. "You're okay."

Tom seems to fall more, and he sits on the ground. He's dying. Tom is dying. Tears start to sting my eyes. I can hear his voice.

"They tried to take me over. But I fought them, Con. I fought them."

"You did a really good job." Connor tells him.

"Tell Alex...she's really scary sometimes."

"I will, Tom."

"Am I a hero?" Tom asks. I can't take it. A sob escapes me as Connor nods. And then Tom falls to the ground. Dead.


	5. Mr Blue Sky

_Season One, Episode Five_ **  
Alex**

I'm woken by my phone ringing somewhere on the other side of my room. I ignore it and roll over. But then it starts ringing again. And again.

"Alex! Phone!" Stephen yells from outside my room. So I drag myself up and out of my bed, shoving a hand through my hair as I pick my phone up.

"Alexandra Hart, annoyance extraordinaire, how may I be of service?" I ask, the end of my sentence turning into a yawn.

_Alex Hart, have you just woken up?_

"I don't see that as any concern of yours, Tom Ryan." I reply, wandering out of my room. Stephen has his head inside the fridge. He turns, holding up a pack of bacon, and I nod.

_It's nearly eleven._

"And it's a Saturday. Or do you just not sleep at all?" I ask before flopping down onto the sofa. "Anyway, I doubt this is a social call, it never is."

_Yes, because I never speak to you outside of work_

"Sarcasm doesn't suit you, Tom Ryan. Where is it?"

***

I walk away from the ambulance and put my phone to my ear. It takes a moment for Connor to answer.

_Abby Maitland's love shack, number one stud speaking._

"Like you'd ever be a stud, Connor Temple."

_Oh shit, Alex, hi._

"Yeah, oh shit. You're lucky it's me rather than Nick. We've got another creature attack. And a dead man." I tell him, digging one hand into my pocket. I catch sight of Nick walking towards me. "Look, Con, I'm going to have to go, but you need to get here fast." I hang up before he can answer. I slide my phone into my pocket as Nick reaches me.

"Look, Alex, I want you to come have a look at the body too."

"But Stephen-"

"Yeah, I know, but I want your help. He's going to check for the anomaly." Nick says. I don't really want to look at a dead body. I'm a tracker, not a pathologist.

"Shouldn't I help him, find the creature?"

"Yeah, fine, okay. Do whatever you want." he snaps. I don't know what I've done to set him off.

"Nick?"

"It's fine, Alex."

***  
"No trampled or broken vegetation or track marks. And no sign of an anomaly." Stephen says as we walk towards Nick.

"But there is one hell of a magnetic field." I add. "So it's got to be here somewhere."

"Unless there's a pylon causing interference." Stephen points out as Abby arrives.

"I can't see anything." she tells us.

"Quiet and let me think." Nick says, stepping forwards. "Quiet!" he says again, louder this time, as he turns back to us.

"We didn't say anything." Abby shrugs.

"No, I mean it's too quiet. Alex, tell me what I should be hearing."

I think for a second, then,

"Birds. Where are the birds?" I ask.

"Not a peep." Abby says.

"They're scared off." Stephen says.

"Now, what would scare the birds off?" Nick asks. "You were wrong. It's not a pylon, there is an anomaly."

"Where?" Stephen asks.

"We're standing right underneath it." Nick says. Automatically, we all tip our heads back. There is a massive anomaly hanging in the sky.

"It's an aerial predator." Stephen says.

"Wow." Abby breathes.

"Yeah, that's one way of putting it." Nick tells her.

"Now, how the hell do we cordon off the sky?" I ask before righting my head. Stephen is standing a few steps away.

"Cutter." he says. He is looking at something, shading his eyes with his hands.

"I mean, this thing could be anywhere by now." Nick says. He hasn't heard my uncle. It's then I see what he's looking at.

"I wouldn't be so sure about that." I say. My uncle and I move together. I knock Abby to the ground while Stephen dives for Nick. There is a screech as the creature passes over our heads.

"So, not so hard to find then." Stephen says as we all scramble to our feet.

The four of us chase after it. When the creature seems to be hovering, we stop and Nick lifts a pair of binoculars to his eyes.

"What is it?" Abby asks.

"A Pterodactyl. Pterosaur." Nick says.

"Pteranodon." I add.

"Is it what killed the golfer?" Abby asks.

"I'd say it's definitely in the frame." Stephen tells her.

"But didn't Pteranodon eat lizards and fish and stuff like that?" I ask. Nick nods, still looking through his binoculars.

"Probably just snacking until humans came along." Stephen says.

"Why's it circling?" Abby asks as Nick lowers the binoculars.

"Looking for a roost?" Stephen suggests.

"It's spoilt for choice." Nick tells him.

"But it is looking for something." I say. I'm still watching the creature when Stephen says,

"Is that Connor?"

"What?" Nick and I ask together as Stephen moves forward. I follow him.

"What's he doing?" Abby asks, joining us.

"More importantly, what's our friend up there doing?" Nick asks.

"It's not looking for a roost." Stephen says.

"It's looking for lunch." I realise aloud. All four of us start yelling his name, but he's not turning. He doesn't seem to hear us. I spin, looking for help.

"Tom Ryan!" I yell, seeing him, Claudia and some soldiers. "Captain Ryan!" I yell again, just as he turns and starts running. I turn back to see Connor still standing there.

"Get into the trees!" Abby shouts.

"Run, you idiot!" Stephen and I yell at the same time. Connor takes off.

"Cover it!" Ryan's arrived, along with his men.

"Oh no." that's Claudia. "Shoot it." she orders, and guns click all around me.

"No, wait a minute. There's something about this that doesn't add up, I'm just not entirely sure of what it is yet." Nick says in a rush. I look at him, as much in disbelief as the others, before I spin to Ryan.

"Do it!" Claudia has given the order at the same time as I have.

"No, we should only kill these creatures when there's absolutely no other choice." Nick says.

"Nick, it's Connor!" I exclaim. "We can't just-"

"Choice? What other choice? In a matter of seconds, Connor's going to be ripped to shreds!" Claudia cries.

"We can't take that chance." Stephen mutters, leaning closer to Nick.

"Follow your orders, Captain!" Claudia says.

"Yes ma'am." Ryan replies. I let out a breath. Connor's going to be okay. But then Nick dives in front of me, pushing Ryan's arms and moving his gun off target.

"Nick!" I yell, pushing him back. I hear Ryan's gun go off, and others around him as I put my hands on Nick's shoulders. "What the hell are you doing?" I ask. But he's not looking at me, he's watching the creature.

"It's out of range." Ryan says suddenly. I whip round, swearing loudly. Though she's clearly terrified, Claudia still has her wits about her enough to go,

"Alexandra!" then, "I really wish you hadn't done that. God knows how many people you've just condemned to death." she is saying this to Nick, not me.

"Wait a minute. There's a lizard with him." Nick says. I glance at Abby before snatching the binoculars from him. "Excuse me." he says.

"You're excused." I reply.

"A lizard?" Claudia repeats.

"What is it, Alex?" Stephen asks. My heart sinks.

"Coelurosauravus." I say quietly.

"Oh he let Rex escape!" Abby blurts. I swear again as Nick takes the binoculars from me. I look at Abby. Stephen, Nick and Claudia have all turned to her too.

"What have you done?" Claudia asks. Abby glances at me.

"You kept him." Nick says.

"No." Abby says instantly. Nick gives her a look. A look that always makes me tell the truth. It works on Abby too. "Yeah. He came back. I was just looking after him."

"What do you think we're doing here? Running some sort of private zoo?" Claudia asks, her voice loud and angry.

"It's not her fault! She's just looking after him. He came back to her, she's just keeping him safe." I say, staring Claudia down.

"You knew about this?" Stephen asks.

"Yes." I tell him after a moment, and Stephen sighs.

"Alex..."

"We'll talk about it later." Nick cuts in. Connor is running towards us now, out of breath. "Look, we don't know enough about the creature yet." he says.

"Lester was right!" Claudia cries. "You people are a menace! What do you think we're doing here, Nick-"

"Come on, nobody's-"

"Playing some kind of game?"

"Nobody's taking this more seriously than we are!"

They're both shouting, and it's scaring me. Claudia's voice has suddenly turned into Helen's.

_Well I'll just clear off and leave then, shall I?_

_Maybe you should!_

"Look, it's wounded, okay? So it's not going far." my uncle's voice interrupts. "It needs to roost."

"I hope you're right." Claudia says. "For all our sakes. Come on." I hear her leave, hear the soldiers follow. I feel a tap on my arm and a quiet voice.

"Alright?" Ryan. I turn to him, putting on a smile.

"Course. Why wouldn't I be?" I ask, my voice a little too bright and cheery. Ryan shakes his head.

"I can see right through you, Alex Hart. You okay?"

I hear Nick suddenly shouting again. I flinch involuntarily. Ryan opens his mouth, but doesn't get to speak before,

"Captain!" Claudia yells.

"Sorry." he mouths before turning and running to Claudia.

Connor reaches us as I turn back to the others. He puts a hand on Nick's shoulder, whooping and laughing.

"That was a bit off a laugh, wasn't it?" he says, still trying to catch his breath.

"Silly arse." Nick mutters before walking off. Abby goes after him. Connor looks to me and Stephen. My uncle takes my elbow and turns me to face him.

"You should have told me."

"And what would you have done?" I ask. He opens his mouth, then closes it. Opens it again.

"I...don't know. But you should have told me. We don't lie to each other, Alex. We tell each other the truth, okay?" he asks. I look around for a moment, looking everywhere but at him, before I sigh.

"Yeah. I know." I say, looking at him. Stephen puts a hand on each of my shoulders.

"We need to tell each other things. Talking is important, Starlight. I just want you to understand that."

"You're mad, aren't you."

"No. Not really. Just-"

"Please don't say disappointed."

"Just trying to understand what's going on. It's not like you to keep things from me." Stephen says, and I glance at the ground.

"Nothing's going on." I tell him. Which isn't quite true. I've started to have nightmares, about the anomalies and the creatures. But they're not that bad. Not really. That's what I tell myself. There's a hand on the side of my face, lifting my head. Stephen has leaned down a little to be at my level.

"Are you sure?" he asks. I break away from him.

"I'm fine, Stephen."

***

"Pteranodon hunted from high vantage points. Cliff tops, mountains, anywhere that gave him a good sight of potential prey." Nick says. I can hear his footsteps crunching on the gravel. Both he and Claudia are still pissed. I think Stephen's a bit annoyed too. I can't see them. I'm leaning against the other side of the car. I don't know if they know I'm here.

"We need to be looking at all the highest points within a couple of miles." my uncles says. There's a pause.

"Real time images coming through now." Ryan says. There is another pause.

"There it is."

"Got it."

"Office building, less than a mile away. Should be empty on a Saturday. Let's go!"

Stephen, Nick, Ryan. I haven't heard Claudia say anything, but I know she's there. Nick comes round the other side of the car.

"Alex, you drive. We need to get there first."

***

"Who the hell taught you how to drive?" Claudia asks as she clambers out of the car.

"A very good copper." I tell her, grabbing my tranq gun from the back of the car as Stephen does.

"We should wait for Ryan." Claudia says. We turn, she sees the guns in our hands, and she just spins and walks towards the building.

"What are those?" she asks once we're inside and Stephen and I are loading darts into our guns.

"Tranquilising guns." he tells her. Claudia stops walking, but the three of us carry on.

"No way."

"Together they could take out about ten of those things up there." Nick says. I hear Claudia's footsteps again.

"I'm not taking anymore chances. I want it dead."

"Oh, just humour me." Nick says.

"What?"

He turns and spreads his arms out.

"Have I ever let you down before?" Nick asks.

"Don't answer that." I say quickly.

"Just trust me, please." Nick says.

"Why do you keep doing this to me?" Claudia asks. Nick spins round and stops, Stephen and I do the same.

"Look, we're in unknown territory here. I don't know. The only thing I know is that killing these creatures without good reason is not the answer." Nick says. There's a moment of silence.

"You've got until Ryan gets here."

The three of us turn together.

"Alex, I want you to stay here!" I simply hold up my gun and keep walking. "One chance, one shot!" Claudia adds.

"Never thought she'd buy that." Stephen mutters as we walk through a pair of double doors.

"No, neither did I." Nick replies.

We reach the roof and I automatically go for the ladder.

"Alex, don't you-"

I'm already half way up, my gun in my hand. Stephen has his rifle over his shoulder, but I have my pistol. But just as I'm about to shoot it, the creature launches itself from the edge of the building.

"Damn it." Nick mutters from behind me. We watch, wait as it flies around the building. "We're going to have to find a way of bringing it back into range." Nick says. "Do you see the red crest on top of her head?"

"Red..." I repeat.

"That's it." Nick says, turning to Claudia. "I need your shirt."

"What?"

"Your shirt. It's your shirt or Alex's shorts." Nick says, and I fold my arms, my gun hanging from one hand.

"You are not getting these shorts." I tell him.

"I know." Nick says without looking at me. "Now, your shirt."

"Come on. It's magenta." Claudia says.

"It's close enough." Nick says before turning, waving a hand for me to come with him. I follow him as Claudia calls,

"It's nothing like red!"

I keep my gun up, aimed at the sky, as Nick pulls a pole from a collection of aerials. Something soft and floppy that smells of my uncle lands on my head and covers my eyes.

"Stephen!"

I pull the shirt off my head and pass it to Nick, who starts to tie it round the pole. I turn as Stephen throws his rifle to me. I hear a squeak from Claudia as he does it, but I catch it easily in my free hand, slinging it over my shoulder. "God, Stephen, put your shirt back on. There are ladies present." I say, scrunching my nose up. Stephen sticks his tongue out at me.

"I'm your uncle, Starlight, you don't have to be so weird about it." he says, in an almost perfect impression of Connor.

"I don't give a shit. But Claudia will." I point out as she turns fully away from him.

"Don't think I didn't hear that, Alexandra." she calls.

"Claudia, I can swear if I want. I can say a lot worse." I say.

"Who would teach you that sort of language anyway?" Claudia asks. I smile.

"A very good copper." I tell her before turning back to Nick. The shirt is now firmly knotted around the pole.

"Ready?" I call, taking the rifle from my shoulder.

"Ready." Stephen replies, and I throw his gun back to him. We go either side of Nick, who whistles sharply before hauling the pole into the air.

"In your own time." Nick says. I wait for Stephen. Sure enough, there's a small bang.

"Wind took it." Stephen says before putting his gun down to load another dart.

"Alex." Nick says. But the creature's not close enough yet. "Alex!" I take a shot, and I miss.

"It keeps moving, Nick." I say.

"Yeah, that's what they do."

There's another bang from Stephen's gun. I know from his sigh that he's missed again. There is already another dart in my gun and I lift it back up as he starts to reload his. But then,

"Starlight, I'm out."

"Out?"

"I don't have as many as I thought."

I sigh. "Alright." the creature is getting closer and closer now.

"Alex, shoot it." Nick says, still waving his 'flag'. I don't. I wait.

"Alex, for God's sake, will you shoot it!" Nick shouts. I hear Claudia turn and run away from the edge as the creature comes ever closer. As it flies over our heads, I manage to shoot a dart into it's stomach before diving for the ground.

The Pteranodon rolls, slumps, and slides in the direction of Claudia.

"You see that!"

"Will you stop bloody yelling, Nick?" I ask, my voice sharper than I mean it to be, before marching towards the Pteranodon.

"Excuse m-"

"Leave her, Nick. What are we going to do with it?" Stephen asks.

"Take it back to the anomaly site. Send it back." Nick tells him. Claudia steps out of her corner.

"That is it, Cutter. No more favours. From now on, we do this my way. I make the decisions." almost before she's stopped speaking, the Pteranodon's head smacks into hers and she falls to the ground.

"Whoops." Stephen says. I hear running footsteps and Ryan appears on the roof, followed by soldiers. Nick and Stephen make a swift exit.

"Oi!" I call after them, but they ignore me. Ryan moves to stand beside me as his men surround the creature.

"Bloody hell, Alex."

"Why do you keep saying that? It's clearly a Pteranodon and a Claudia Brown."

"Speaking of Claudia, what did you do to her?"

"What did I do to her? That was the Pteranodon."

"That Stephen shot."

I wave my gun at him.

"Excuse me, but I can use a gun. Rather well, actually. And I've still got another dart left. Watch yourself, Captain."

Ryan looks at me and raises an eyebrow.

"Wow. I'm so scared." he says in a monotone.

"I was right. Sarcasm really does not suit you."

***

I'm sitting on the massive trailer with the Pteranodon on it, running a hand down its nose. Stephen is at it's other end. A soldier is stepping towards us.

"I wouldn't get too close if I were you. That thing could come round at any time." Ryan warns him.

"It's going to be out for hours yet." I say, standing up as Stephen walks round to me. There is a strange noise, and he runs back to the Pteranodon's back end.

"Oh, nice." Ryan says.

"You have no idea how revealing dung can be." Stephen tells him. "You can learn a lot from it. It's exciting stuff." he sits on the edge of the trailer and pokes a hand under the tarp. It comes back with white goop on it. He lifts a finger to his mouth and dabs the dung onto his tongue. Two of the soldiers make simultaneous noises of disgust.

"Please tell me you're not going to do that." Ryan says.

"I think not. My uncle's chief shit-eater in our family." I tell him, folding my arms.

"Oi. Watch it, Alexandra." Stephen warns. I just stick my tongue out at him, and he pulls a face back.

"I feel more like a babysitter every day I spend with you lot." Ryan says. I hit his shoulder. Stephen starts to walk towards me, but I put a hand out.

"No, no. Step away, dung-breath."

Stephen shakes his head and pulls out his phone. I assume he's calling Nick.

"Listen, you know that hunch of yours? You were right. Old Leatherface didn't kill the golfer. The beak says it's all wrong. The dung is the clincher." he says. There's a slight pause. Then, "Nope. Just a few small reptiles and some fish bones, that's it." Stephen puts the phone down after a moment I put my hands in my pockets.

"But Stephen?" I start.

"Yep?"

"It wasn't the Pteranodon. So what the hell killed the golfer?"

***

"Guys, you better be quick. I don't think the anomaly's going to hold much longer." Connor calls, and I turn to stand beside Ryan. Stephen runs towards Nick and Claudia with the red flag while Connor comes to us. Abby is sitting with the Pteranodon as its eyes flicker open. A minute or two later, Nick is going up in the cherry picker as I start to untie the ropes around the Pteranodon.

"Don't you even think about shooting it, Tom Ryan." I warn.

"You got to shoot it."

"With a tranq dart."

"Stop wasting time with Soldier Boy, Starlight. Let's get this thing up in the air." Stephen tells me. Connor grabs the other side of the tarp and we run back, pulling it off the creature. It takes a moment or two to stand, and then starts to fly. In the wrong direction. We all start yelling at it.

"Turn around!"

"Come on!"

"This way!"

"Oi, Birdbrain!"

Eventually, it does turn. It sees Nick, sees the flashing red flag, and makes for it. Just before the Pteranodon goes over us, I hear a voice.

"It's beautiful." Claudia murmurs.

The Pteranodon soars through the anomaly, which promptly disappears. All four of us on the ground start cheering and whooping. Abby, in her delight, jumps at Stephen. He catches her and spins round. Connor turns to Ryan.

"High five? No?" he says. I laugh, and he turns to me. I hug him.

"Glad you're safe."

"Me too."

I give him a high five, and he whoops again, his hat falling off. I scoop it off the ground automatically, and plonk it on my own head. I turn to Ryan myself, face split in a grin as I laugh. My smile grows impossibly wider.

"Ah, you're smiling." I say. And he is.

"Still wish I'd gotten the chance to shoot it." Ryan says, and I pull a face. He laughs, and that sets me off again. "Oh, shut up." he tells me.

"Never."


	6. God Only Knows

_Season One, Episode Six_ **  
Alex**

"Save me." I say into my phone. It's pushed up against my ear by my shoulder as I take my ice cream tub from the girl behind the counter. "Thank you." I mouth before turning.

_Can't anyone else?_

"No one's picking up." I lie. He's the first person I'd called. I'm not quite sure why. I suppose it's because I trust him. We end up working together a lot. A few weeks or so ago, after a particularly exhausting anomaly, we'd fallen asleep half on top of each other. Connor's been sending us wiggly-eyebrowed looks whenever he sees us together since.

_Nice to know I'm your first choice._

"Ryan, please."

_What is it? A T-Rex? You're in jail?_ _ You accidentally-on-purpose murdered Connor?_

"No." I say stubbornly, pushing my way though the crowd of people. It's a sunny, warm day, considering the time of year. "I'm being followed by a creep."

_Followed._ Ryan repeats, sounding unimpressed._ Look, Alex, I'm trying to walk my dog._

"You have a dog? Never mind, bring him too. Some dude's been hanging about me for like half an hour now." I tell him. I relax my shoulder and grab my phone with my free hand before turning my head. He's still there. "And I kinda don't want to drop my ice cream trying to punch him." I add.

There's a sigh on the other side of the phone.

_It's not like dropping some ice cream is going to stop you beating the _ _crap_ _ out of anyone._

"True, but he looks pissed and big and scary."

_Okay, where are you?_

Within minutes, Captain Ryan is there, a big golden Lab at his heel.

"Why didn't you tell me you had a dog?" I ask, sitting on the ground to stroke it and talk to it, my ice cream momentarily forgotten.

"Because I knew you'd be like this." Ryan says, sitting on the bench behind me. The dog isn't on a lead, and his tail whacks Ryan's legs as he licks my hands.

"What's his name?" I ask, turning my head to look up at Ryan. He's picked up my ice cream tub and is scooping a spoon of it into his mouth. "Oi!"

"What?" he shrugs. "You just left it there. His name's Bear. Now, where's this creep you were telling me about?"

I turn my head and look for him. He is sitting on a bench about ten feet away, watching us. I say this to Ryan, point him out as subtly as I can.

"You can take him." he says. I lean against the bench.

"I can't just go battering every dude who looks at me." I tell him.

"Yeah you can. It'd be funny."

"What happened to Don't-do-anything-stupid Captain Ryan?" I ask, tipping my head back onto the bench.

"He figured out that Alex Hart could hold her own in a fight, that's what." he tells me as I push myself up to sit next to him on the bench. Bear flops over my feet. He's like a living blanket.

"Watch it, he'll fall asleep on you." Ryan warns. 

"I don't mind." I tell him. We sit, talking quietly. But the sun is warm, and my eyes are falling closed. My head tips sideways onto his shoulder without me realising. "Sorry, sorry." I say quickly, lifting my head at once.

"No. No, it's fine." he tells me. And for a reason I couldn't explain if I tried, warmth rushes through me. There are a few minutes of quiet, in which the creep leaves and my head tips sideways again.

"Look, Alex, I've been meaning to ask-" Ryan starts. But then both of our phones start ringing at once. I jerk upright, pulling my phone out of my pocket and look at Ryan as he looks at me. It must be another anomaly, for both our phones to be going off at once. I switch mine off, cutting off the ringtone.

"What is it, what were you going to ask?" I ask, but Ryan stands and clicks his tongue so his dog stands up too.

"We'd better go." he says, starting to walk away from me as I get up from the bench.

"Tom Ryan? Tom!"

***

"See, first we thought the lions had been fighting, but none of them are wounded." Abby says, leading me and Connor into the lion enclosure. "Then we realised we'd lost one."

"Maybe you put it down somewhere, forgot where you left it." Connor suggests, and I poke him. "What? Happens all the time."

I look down at the ground, and then tap Abby's arm. I point at the leaf I've seen. There's blood on it.

"Looks like something got wounded." Connor says before crouching. Abby and I join him. He pulls a swab kit from his pocket.

"You just carry that around with you?" I ask. He ignores my question.

"Do you think it's a creature attack?" Abby asks.

"Don't know." Connor tells her. He slips the tube holding the blood back into his pocket as another keeper passes us.

"You've got no proof though." I point out. "All you've got is a missing lion."

"Maybe it just ran away to join the circus." Connor suggests, and Abby pushes him.

"Oh, whatever."

***

The next morning, I follow my uncle through the Home Office, frowning at his back. He's been acting strange. There's something he's not telling me, I know it. Lester stops suddenly. He stand on one side of the corridor with Claudia, and I stand on the other between Nick and Stephen. Lester is glaring at both of them. There is silence.

"So, are you going to talk or can I just go home?" I ask after a while.

"Yes, I rather think you should tell your niece what's going on." Lester says sharply. I look at Stephen, confused. He doesn't look at me.

"Stephen?"

"Helen came to me yesterday. Gave me a message. She wants to meet." he says after a moment, still not looking at me.

"Helen?" I repeat, and he nods.

"Are you sure you don't already know what all this is about?" Lester asks. He's speaking to Nick.

"Sorry, what does that mean?" I ask.

"She's your wife. You join the dots."

"Helen did save my life." Claudia points out. "I think we should give her some credit for that. And is she does know something about the disappearances, maybe we-"

"Now that's a police matter." Lester cuts in. "There's no evidence of creature involvement."

"Yet." I tell him, remembering the blood Connor sent to the lab. There's the ding of a lift.

"Okay, fine. We'll do it her way. But if this turns out to be another of her manipulative little schemes, the deal's off and she goes straight back on the wanted list." Lester says before turning and walking into the open lift, which promptly closes behind him.

***

We're on a bridge, and Helen is walking towards us. She stops suddenly.

"I didn't tell you to bring Alex." she says.

"She deserves to know." Stephen tells her. Helen keeps walking, stopping again when she's a few steps away. She looks at Nick.

"You have a serious creature incursion. A highly evolved ambush predator. Intelligent, adaptable and ruthless." Helen says.

"If there was a creature on the loose, we'd know about it." Claudia tells her.

"At least three people have disappeared in the last few days." Helen points out, and both Claudia and Lester roll their eyes.

"Missing." he says.

"Killed." Helen corrects. "The creature has a lair nearby, it's taken them for food."

"Now how do you know that?" Nick asks.

"Because it nearly got me too."

"What is it?" Stephen asks. I'm thinking the same thing.

"It has no name." Helen tells him.

"Then which era is it from?" Nick asks.

Helen walks forward.

"It doesn't come from any era." she says. "At least, not one that can be identified yet."

"I'm sorry, I don't understand."

"Yes you do, Nick. You knew it had to happen one day. You've known it ever since you stepped into the past."

"The future?" I blurt, the thought hitting me suddenly. "You're saying a creature from the future is killing these people?" I ask.

"You always were clever, Alex darling." Helen says before she turns and walks to the edge of the bridge. She turns back to us, leaning on the fence. "I've seen a lot of amazing creatures but nothing like this one. It has human levels of intelligence, and abnormal, supernatural ability to stalk its prey. It could be right here now, watching us, and we'd never know."

"If it's so clever, how did you see it?" Claudia asks.

"I discovered it in the Permian just after it had killed." Helen says. Claudia gives her a look. "It was feeding, its defences were down." Helen adds, shrugging. I can tell that she isn't lying about any of this. But something about what she is saying feels...off.

"And what does it look like?" I ask. I need to know more, need to catch her out.

"Like a great ape, but bigger, faster. A lot more agile." I catch sight of Lester pinching the bridge of his nose.

"What makes you so certain it's not some lost species that just disappeared from the evolutionary record?" Nick asks. Helen is shaking her head.

"No, Nick, it's not like any other creature from the Permian or any other prehistoric era. The only possible explanation is that it strayed through a future anomaly into the Permian era and then onto ours." she says.

"You know, I'm really beginning to regret not staying in management consultancy." Lester says. He lifts his head and folds his arms again. "So now it's the future as well. And apparently, we can't do a damn thing about it."

"How did it get here?" Claudia asks.

"I've no idea. It was only when I get back I found out that it was on the loose. Obviously, my first thought was to do as much as I can to help." this is the first lie. I stiffen for a moment, but when Stephen gives me a strange look, I force myself to relax.

"How public-spirited of you." Lester remarks. "Where can we contact you?"

"At my house, of course."

***

"That's all she said?" Connor asks, spinning around and around in Nick's chair.

"That's it." Stephen tells him.

"Nothing else? No details at all?" Connor asks as I sit in Stephen's chair and join in on the spinning.

"Why? Put it down." Stephen says, saying the last part before he turns. Connor frowns.

"How..."

"I have a niece, Connor. I know kids."

Connor puts the jaw he's holding down on Nick's desk.

"Stop spinning, Starlight, you'll be sick."

"Nah." I say, tipping my head back and spinning faster.

"You'll break my chair."

"You can afford a new one."

I lift my head, remembering something.

"Ooh! Connor! Blood!"

"Oh yeah. I found some bat blood at the zoo." Connor says, leaning his elbows on his knees.

"So?" Stephen asks.

"Well, this bat blood had really, really screwed up DNA. I mean, you know, it's probably nothing," Connor starts to spin again, "but one of the lions went missing yesterday and Abby's boss, he's just," Connor pauses and makes a popping noise. "disappeared as well."

I stop spinning.

"What?"

"Where's Abby?" Stephen asks, and Connor stops spinning.

"She said she was working late." Connor says. I stand as my uncle grabs his jacket, but he puts out a hand.

"No, Starlight, you stay here. I mean it. Get Ryan on the phone, get as much backup as you can, then come meet me at the zoo."

I dig my phone out of my pocket.

_Okay, Alex, I'm going to ask you-_

"Ryan, creature, Wellington Zoo." I blurt before he can say anything else.

_I'm on my way._

***

"The creature's lair must be very close." Nick says. We are all walking in a line with soldiers and dogs.

"What happens when we find this thing?" Ryan asks.

"Thought we only killed these creatures in self-defence." Ryan says.

"This one's too dangerous." Nick says.

"Plus, if we kill it, we don't affect the past or the presence." I add, pulling my handgun from my shorts.

"Shoot to kill." Ryan says. "That makes a refreshing change. I was beginning to feel like a social worker." it's only then he sees the gun in my hand. "I think not, Alex Hart."

"She can shoot. I advise you let her." Nick says before moving a few steps ahead.

"When did you learn how to shoot?" Ryan asks.

"My uncle is a marksman, and one of his best friends is a copper. It was kind of a given. I asked them to teach me." I tell him. There's a beat of silence. Then,

"Alright, fine. But you let us go in first."

I smile to myself.

"Yeah. You say that like I'm going to listen to you."

"I say it because I know you won't."

We stop talking as we enter the woods and Connor joins us. We all walk in silence, a dog barking every so often. I see Stephen, his own gun in his hand, crouching and picking up a broken branch. All the dogs around us start barking. I'm about to ask about it when there's a yell. A soldier is being yanked behind a tree.

I push Connor behind me as I raise my gun, Ryan and the soldiers running out in front of us. I hear gunshots, rustling leaves.

"There's nothing." Ryan calls. I hear more gunshots around me, and he turns his head. "Make sure you verify your target!" he shouts. "Alex?"

"Here." I call back. I move my free hand backwards. 

"I'm here, Alex." Connor mutters, tapping my wrist. I can hear twigs snapping all over the place.

"Look up!" Nick yells. I move forward, down the little hill, pointing my gun upwards at the trees.

"I can't see anything, Nick." I say. And then I do. It's like nothing I've ever seen before. It jumps from tree to tree. I take a shot, and I miss as it launches itself at Nick. There's the sound of another gun going off, but the creature is already gone. I turn my head.

"Connor?"

"I'm here." he tells me, walking out from behind a tree.

"What the hell was that?" Stephen asks.

"We need a bigger gun." Nick says.

***

"It's one step ahead of us all the time. It knew what we were going to do before we even did it." Nick says.

"I warned you it was smart." Helen reminded him as she cut up her apple.

"It'd be more helpful if you could tell us how to catch it." Nick says.

"What we need is something that gives us an edge, some weakness in its defences." Stephen says as he walks around. "Otherwise, it's just going to pick us off one by one."

"Dogs." Connor and I have said it at the same time, and I look at him, nodding to let him speak.

"The dogs went crazy right before it attacked." he adds. "What would make them go off like that?"

"It can be smell. If there was a scent trail, they would have followed it." Stephen points out. I look at Helen. She already knows the answer, and she waiting for us to guess. Waiting for us to play her game.

"Sound." I say. "It's using sound. That's how it's managing to stay ahead of us."

Helen is smiling now.

"It can detect physical movement before it's within visual range." always with the big words, Nick.

"And the dogs, they detect a higher frequency, therefore they know when it's nearby." Connor explains things far more simply.

"Like echolocation?" Ryan asks. I nod.

"High frequency sound waves. It's like a sonar system." Nick says.

"They see sound, basically. Bats use it." I explain. Then my head whips round. "Connor. Bats."

"You said there was bat blood in the lion enclosure." Stephen says, gesturing towards Connor.

"That's it. That's it, this thing must be some kind of, kind of, I don't know..." Connor starts.

"SuperBat." we finish together.

"They're right." Helen says suddenly. "Three quarters of all mammal species are either bats or rats. Maybe the future belongs to them." she says before eating a chunk of apple off her knife.

"We can use its own weapon against it." Nick says, stepping forwards and towards Connor.

"The oscilloscope."

"It's in the car, go get it." and Connor runs off.

***

The next morning, we're back in the forest. I have been forbidden by Stephen, Nick and Ryan to step foot through the anomaly, and I'm fidgeting. I want the creatures gone. And I want Helen to stop looking at me.

"If I don't make it back." Nick starts, looking at the anomaly rather than me and Stephen, "Push Lester through the worst anomaly you can find."

"It's a given." Stephen tells him before shaking his hand.

"I was already planning it." I add before hugging Nick. "But you are coming back. So you can do it for us."

I turn and walk towards Ryan, ignoring Helen. Two soldiers go through the anomaly with the other box of baby creatures. Ryan is facing the anomaly, and I stand beside him, folding my arms.

"You're coming back too, you know." I tell him. "You have to, we have to have that arm wrestle you keep threatening me about."

"Ah, wouldn't want to miss that, would I?"

"Again, sarcasm does not suit you, Tom Ryan." I say, turning my head to look at him. I hear Claudia's footsteps, and her voice. I turn my head again. Ryan and I watch side by side as Claudia pulls herself away from my godfather before we turn to each other. I'm pulling a face, which he laughs at. I turn to him.

"You were going to ask me something, Tom Ryan."

"I was." he says.

"Or you going to ask me before you go through or when you come back?"

"I...I was going to ask if...if you'd like to-"

"Yes."

"Yes?"

"Yeah. You are-"

"Asking you-"

"Out."

"Yeah." we say together, and then laughter bubbles from me.

"Yes. I say yes. I will go out with you, Tom Ryan."

"Alex-" he starts.

"Ryan, come on." Nick calls. Ryan looks at me again.

"I'll be back, Alex Hart."

"You better be, Tom Ryan."

***

After what seems like an eternity, Nick steps back through. He is holding a gun. He looks like he might cry.

"What happened? Did you find the anomaly?" Lester asks. Helen steps through. Ryan isn't there, none of the soldiers are. I feel myself go cold as Nick speaks.

"Captain Ryan didn't make it. And all his men are dead."

I sit down heavily in the little folding chair behind me. Cloud nine has dissolved underneath my feet. Dead. He's dead. My friend, my...he's dead. He's gone, forever.

"Whatever happens, nobody else goes through." Nick adds.

"Well, I'm sorry to break your new rule so soon, Nick, but, um, I'm not staying." Helen says, clearly not sorry at all. I use my thumb to rub away a tear that has escaped.

"Well what did you come back through for?" Nick asks.

"Oh, just a little...unfinished business." Helen is looking at my uncle, looking at Stephen. And he's looking right back at her. I stand. "You see, Nick, it was just one of those things. I was lonely and you didn't seem to care about me..." I'm shaking my head now. No. No, no, no. She can't be saying that. She can't be saying that- "And Stephen was so sweet and attentive." Helen continues. I look at my uncle, silently begging him to deny it, deny everything. To tell Helen she's mad, she's wrong.

"Shut up, Helen."

That tells me everything. 

"Oh, you mean you never told him?" Helen asks. Then she looks at me. "Or Alex, poor thing. Your own blood, Stephen." Helen tuts.

"What an extremely awkward moment." Lester says.

"You see, I don't want to be on my own anymore. You once said you'd do anything for me if I gave you the chance. Well, here it is. Come with me."

I don't hear anymore. I turn and run.

***

I slide down the wall, putting my head on my knees. My hands feel like they're burning. The breeze stings as it passes over my knuckles. I can feel blood on them.

I have lost another good friend. And I feel like I've lost Stephen too.

I feel someone sit beside me.

"Fuck off, Stephen." I say.

"My my, we are in a right tizzy, aren't we?" that's not Stephen. I lift my head and turn it. "He said you'd be here. Wanted someone to check on you. Knew you wouldn't want to talk to him."

"Damn right I don't want to talk to him." I say bluntly.

"Let me see your hands." Danny says. I give them to him without question. "Who were we fighting today, Sunshine?" he asks after a moment.

"The wall." I mumble.

"Now, you know better than that. Wall's always going to win, isn't it?" Danny says, and I look to the ground again. I hear Danny sigh. "What I mean, Sunshine, is that there are always other options."

I lift my head a little, just enough to see what Danny is holding out to me. 

A motorbike helmet.


	7. Centuries

_Series Two Episode One_ **   
** **Alex**

I've barely been on my bike for fifteen minutes before Danny waves me over. I pull up beside him as he holds my phone out to me.

"Alexandra Hart, annoyance extraordinaire, how may I be of service?" I spout my line fluently, making Danny smile.

_This is Sergeant Nerd requesting that Commander Hart report for duty._

"Ah, the Connorino Supreme, how nice to hear your voice. It's only been three quarters of an hour."

_Andy, you need to get to the ARC._

"What's wrong?" I ask, straightening up on my bike. The worry is clear in my voice, which causes concern to enter Danny's own face.

_Nothing's wrong exactly..._

"I'll be there in ten minutes." I tell him before hanging up. "Danny..." I start.

"Take the bike, Sunshine. It's yours after all." he tells me. I nod and give him a hug.

"Thank you." he knows I don't just mean the bike.

***

I reach the ARC just before the cars do. I may or may not have been speeding to try and get here first. Nick nearly falls out of the car he is in, and he runs to me. His hands land on my shoulders.

"Alex, Alex, please. Please, tell me you remember her. Claudia Brown."

"Who?" I ask, startled.

"Claudia Brown. You've been working with her for months. Please, tell me you remember her."

"Claudia Brown? I don't know anyone called Claudia." I tell him. His grip on my shoulders tightens and I wince. I'm scared now. "Nick, you're hurting me."

"No, no, no, you've got to remember her, you have to remember her."

He looks half out of his mind. I try to wriggle free, but I can't.

"Nick! Nick, please."

"Nick, let her go!" that's Stephen, pulling Nick away from me. I take an automatic step back, my hand going to my now sore shoulder. "She doesn't know who Claudia is either." Nick doesn't seem to hear him.

"Andy, you alright?" I jump at Connor's sudden voice, still scared by Nick's behaviour. I rub my shoulder.

"Yeah. Fine."

"Nick, listen to me. None of us know any Claudia." Stephen tells Nick, who's still staring at me as if I've just betrayed him. Nick finally nods and steps away from Stephen, looking away from me. Stephen turns to me. "Alex-"

"Don't. I know what you did. Don't." I tell him. I pull off his jacket and throw it at him before turning with Connor to go inside. "And you can have that back."

I walk with Connor to the lockers. I open mine and pull out the denim jacket I stashed in there last week while Connor grabs his skateboard. I chase after him as he rolls away. He gives Abby a pat on the head as he passes her.

"Oi! Sergeant Nerd!" I call. He tries to turn on the skateboard. And promptly falls off. I start laughing.

"Commander Hart." he groans from the floor before I haul him to his feet. Automatically, I turn my head to see if Ryan is finding it funny too. But he's not here. My laughter dies instantly. Connor sees my face. "Oh, Andy."

"You sounded pretty worried on the phone. What else has happened?" I ask.

"Well, I don't really know." Connor says. Abby appears.

"You two better come with me before Cutter tries to murder Lester again." she says. I'm more confused than ever, but I follow Connor and Abby to the ops room. I walk faster than them, getting in earshot of Lester just in time to hear him say,

"Cutter's suffering from some kind of stress-related amnesia. He seems to have forgotten, well, pretty much everything, really."

"Nope." Nick says, tipping his head back to look at the ceiling. I haven't forgotten a thing. I wish I could."

Abby moves off, but Connor and I stay standing there, watching. I move forward slightly.

"Ah, now he's being enigmatic as well, what a vivid repertoire. Are you really telling me you don't know who this man is?" Lester asks, gesturing towards Leek, forever at his side. Nick turns and looks at me, then Connor a few steps behind me. It's clear to me that he doesn't know who Leek is. That's bad. Nick turns back.

"Yeah, of course, it's Leek. Oliver Leek. I know exactly who he is." Nick Cutter is lying. I hear Connor's footsteps moving away, but I can't move from my spot. Nick has no idea where he is, or who Leek is.

"Is this some kind of industrial action or did no one hear that we have a creature sighting in a shopping mall?" Lester asks. I hear the door swing open behind me and Stephen's voice.

"Guys, we're on it."

I still can't quite move. I'm still trying to figure it out. I wait for Connor and Nick.

"Alex, I'm sorry for scaring you. I don't know why I went mad." Nick tells me, shaking his head a little. 

"You had no idea who Leek was." I say.

"You are officially freaking me out now." Connor adds. "Let me get this straight. You're saying that something's changed because of what happened in the Permian anomaly? Like evolution has just, what, altered course?" Connor asks. Nick turns to him.

"Glad someone was listening."

"I'm sorry, what?" I ask.

"Something went wrong through the anomaly, something changed. The world has evolved differently."

"And Claudia Brown?" I asked.

"A woman you've all been working with for months, but when I came back, none of you knew who she was. The ARC didn't exist before I went through the anomaly." Nick tells me.

"That's pretty..."

"Radical." Connor suggests when I can't find a word.

"Yeah." I nod.

"Do you believe me?" Nick asks us, and Connor and I look at each other before nodding. It's just weird enough to seem plausible. I mean, when you deal with dinosaurs and rips in time for a living, pretty much anything is possible.

"All right. I'll buy it." Connor says.

"Yeah, okay." I say.

"I could kiss you, Connor." Nick says.

"That's very sweet, but maybe not while there's people watching." Connor says, and I smile before Nick pulls me towards him and plants a kiss on the top of my head. 

"Thank you." he whispers. Then he turns and starts walking. I join him.

"One thing though." Connor starts. "How do I know if I'm different if I don't know what I was like before?" he asks.

"Apparently some people never change." Nick says, and I find my smile growing.

"Is that a bad or a good thing?" Connor calls.

***

I don't look at Stephen as he, Abby and I start setting up our tranq guns. 

"What are we using?" he asks.

"Ketamine for now." Abby tells him. "But it would help if we knew what size creature we're dealing with. I've had to guess the dosage." 

"Where's my gun?" Connor asks. I can see Abby smiling. "Abby and Andy have both got one."

"Abby and Andy both know how to use one." I point out.

"How many animals have you tranquilised?" Abby asks.

"I've played darts." he tells her. "You know, sometimes I think you don't trust me with firearms."

"Don't know what gives you that idea." Stephen says before closing his box. 

"Andy's even got knives!" Connor exclaims as I tighten the belt holding said knives.

"Again, Andy knows how to use them." I point out.

"And Lester doesn't know." Abby adds, smiling.

"Alex knows how to throw a knife without killing the creature." Stephen says, looking at me. I don't look at him. Compliments aren't going to fix what he did. 

"Let's go."

***

**Nick**

"Are we okay?" Stephen asks.

"About what?" I ask.

"We can't ignore what happened."

"Oh, you mean the fact that you slept with my wife?" ahead of us, I see Alex's shoulders tense when I say it, and she moves faster. "Stephen, if you're looking for closure, I'm a little bit busy."

"I don't blame you for being angry."

"Look, Helen never cared about either of us. She's mad."

"Mad?" Stephen repeats.

"Took off through an anomaly for eight years. Does that strike you as well balanced? Just forget it. I'm finished with the past. It's just that I don't think it's finished with me." I say. "You want someone to apologize to, I suggest you start with your niece." I tell him, nodding forward at Alex.

Stephen doesn't say anything.

"Because you will need to apologize to her. She won't talk to you until you try, yo-"

"Yes, I do know that, thank you, Nick. She is my niece." Stephen snaps.

"Then you'll know just how much this is hurting her."

***

**Alex**

Connor and I share a look before turning together.

"Where are you two going?" Abby asks in a whisper, and we turn back.

"Going to get a slushy, shh. Look, I've even got a bodyguard." Connor whispers back, gesturing to me. We're gone before Abby can say anything else.

***

"Look, Slushy Machine." I tell him. We share a look before dashing over and filling a cup each. I've just finished mine when,

"Oi. Hope you're going to pay for that." Abby calls as she walks over. I start re-filling my cup at the same time as Connor does.

"Yeah. If you can lend us a tenner." he tells her. She sighs, but pulls out two fivers and hands us one each.

"Thank you, Abby." we say together. We wait until she's out of sight before slipping the fivers into our pockets. Connor's just put the lid on his fresh cup of slushy when we hear a noise. An unmistakeable animal noise. Both of us stiffen completely. I unfreeze to pull my gun from the waistband of my jeans.

"Connor. When I say run. You run." I mutter. I hear a tinkle of breaking glass and sweets skittering across the floor. Together, Connor and I turn and walk slowly backwards.

"Abby!" Connor calls as quietly as he can.

"What?" I hear her ask.

"Close the shutter."

"Okay." I hear her footsteps going away and I pass Connor my slushy.

"Really quickly." Connor adds. I hear the shutter start to close.

"Now, Connor. Run now!" I tell him, and he sprints away from me.

"Oi! Watch me!" I yell at the raptor. Its head whips away from Connor and it looks at me instead. I shoot it. The dart lands in its side. It screeches and starts running, so I turn and sprint for the shutter. I slide under just as it closes, landing next to Connor. Sudden pain rips through my head, and Connor and I groan at the same time, putting our hands to our heads.

"I hate that." he says.

"What?" Nick asks. He and Stephen have run up to find out what all the commotion is.

"Brain freeze." I tell him, sitting up and hissing.

"From the slushy." Connor adds.

The raptor bashes against the shutter behind us.

"Worth it." I say.

"Totally." Connor replies.

"Right, go check the atrium, we need to make sure we can contain it." Nick says.

"I shot it." I tell him. "I hit it."

We all start walking again. I'm in front of Nick and Stephen, Abby and Connor behind them.

"We need more firepower, this is a raptor." Stephen says to Nick.

"I've just lost a friend because we disrupted nature once too often and I don't intend to let it happen again." Nick says.

"Two." I correct, turning. "We've lost two friends." I glance at Stephen. "Maybe more." I add before I turn again.

"Are you sure you're alright?" Stephen asks. I'm pretty sure he's talking to Nick, so I don't answer.

"Under the circumstances, I'd say I was doing pretty well."

I hear a hissing down the corridor I'm walking along.

"Doesn't sound like the raptor." I tell Nick when he reaches me.

"Okay, Alex, stay here."

"Yeah, no." I say, walking forwards, my gun up.

"Alex I don't want-" Stephen starts.

"Oh now you care!" I blurt. "Wasn't so important when you had Helen, was it?" I turn the corner sharply.

"Woah, woah, woah, don't shoot!"

It's a cleaner.

"Abby, Connor. Get this guy out of here." Nick orders.

Stephen's phone starts ringing as Nick gives Abby her gun back.

"Hello?" Stephen passes the phone to Nick. "Lester wants to know what's going on."

I walk over to the railings and watch as Abby, Connor and the cleaner descend the escalator.

"Alex-"

"I don't want to talk to you, Stephen."

"Well, I'm going to talk to you."

So I put my hands over my ears, effectively reducing my uncle's voice to a muffled buzzing. At least until he grabs my hands and turns me around.

"Alex! Please, I just want to know how you're feeling about all this!"

"You didn't seem to mind how I would feel about it when you were fucking her!" Stephen stands in shocked silence for a moment before I ask, "Do you love her?"

Before Stephen has a chance to answer, Nick turns. 

"Okay. Let's find this thing."

I nod and move to follow him as he starts walking, but Stephen catches hold of my wrist.

"Alex, I'm sorry."

I don't even look at him, just shake his hand off and follow Nick.

***

We're walking through the TV section when Nick stops walking.

"Now hold on. So you think I would just have stood by and watched you get torn to pieces?" he asks Stephen.

"Well, I guess that depends on how much you resent me for what happened with Helen."

"Yeah, you know, you're right. I resent you. But if I wanted you dead, I'd have shot you myself." 

I catch sight of something passing all the TV screens at once, but it is gone when I blink. You need to sleep more, I tell myself, you're seeing things.

"It's not like Alex tried to do anything." I hear Stephen say. I whip round.

"Excuse me?"

"It's not like you tried to shoot the damn thing."

"She'd dropped her gun, Stephen!" Nick says, defending me. I step past him to stand in front of my uncle.

"Do you honestly think I want you dead? That I think you should die because of some stupid mistake you made?" I ask. My eyes are stinging. "Do you really think I'm that..." I break off, shaking my head. I can't believe this. Can't believe him. That he would think-

My thoughts are cut off by the unmistakeable sound of a raptor. I turn and run before the men do, pulling my gun from my jeans and running down a nearby escalator. I aim my gun at a disturbed umbrella, then I hear Nick's voice and turn my head. He's pointing a finger in an entirely different direction. Then I hear plates breaking and turn again. The raptor is jumping about on shelves of crockery.

Stephen takes a shot at it. Or tries. The gun is jammed, just like Nick told him.

"Run!" Nick yells, grabbing me before I can fire my own gun at the raptor. The three of us take off down another escalator. When we reach the bottom, all is silence. But then my uncle walks forward. "Stephen, wait here." Nick's words have no effect. As Stephen reaches the top of the escalator, the raptor leaps out. I'm too shocked to even try to shoot it as it lands in front of me and Nick. Stephen has managed to shoot it this time, but the dart falls out. Nick has a tight hold on my wrist as we stand and the raptor comes towards us. But then it wobbles and falls at our feet. We look up at Stephen, who has just kissed his rifle. Cause he does that.

"You alright?" he calls.

***

"Look at her." Nick says. "She's the perfect killing machine. You know, in a fair fight, mammals wouldn't stand a chance."

"Well, speaking as a mammal, I'm all in favour of cheating." Stephen says. "You know, about the gun...I was wrong. And I know that neither of you would ever want me dead because of what I did, and I was stupid to think that."

"Listen, you could have gone with Helen. You could have left, but you didn't. And right now, that's all that really matters. So just...just forget about the rest."

"Do you think she'll be back?"

"Do you mean do I think she's finished messing with us?"

"Definitely not." I say.

"She never handled rejection particularly well." Nick adds.

"Professor? Stephen! Andy!"

"Connor." I say, already on my feet. We find him pulling a trolley. With Abby on it.

"What the hell did you do?" I ask.

"I shot her."

"You what?"

"I shot her. Collateral damage, though, cause I got the raptor too."

"You brought down a full size raptor on your own?" Nick asks.

"Yep." I look at Stephen. I have a feeling his expression matches mine. "Well, he's nearly full size." Connor corrects himself. "Is she going to be alright?"

"She will have a nasty headache but she should be fine." Stephen tells him.

"Yeah, she'll be fine after she murders you." I add. 

"Well she better come round soon because I'm going to need all of you to get the raptors back alive." I look at Nick, frowning.

"Alive?" Connor and I repeat together.

"Yeah."

Stephen sighs and stands up. I do the same.

"These things are trying to make sushi out of us and we have to play nice. That doesn't seem fair." Connor says.

***

In the locker room, a raptor no bigger than a puppy is on the floor. Connor is pointing in front of a locker.

"The cleaner was attacked, he was injured. I don't get it, he was right here. He was in a really bad way." Connor says, putting a hand to his throat, probably showing us where the cleaner had been injured.

"He must have recovered and got himself out." Nick says, reaching for the baby raptor, which twitches. "One raptor is a problem. Two means an infestation and God knows how many others are running around in here. I want you to take this back to the bowling alley and come meet us in the store."

"On my own?" Connor asks as I crouch next to the tiny raptor.

"It's unconscious." Nick reminds him. "You've got nothing to worry about."

"What if it's just playing dead?"

"Playing dead?" Nick repeats.

"Yeah." I look up from the raptor.

"Well, you know, as Cretaceous era predators go, this one's pretty smart, so yeah, it's probably...watch out for that. I'll come with you, just in case." I say. I try not to laugh at Connor's face, at Nick's barely supressed smile as he turns to leave.

"Wait, really?" Connor asks. I pick up the raptor.

"Yeah. So, you carry it." I say, dumping it into his arms.

"Wait, wait, why?"

I hold up my tranq gun, tap my knives.

"Dude, I'm the bodyguard, remember?" I point at the door. "Quick march, Sergeant Nerd."

"Copy that, Commander Hart."

***

"They're too dangerous!" Stephen shouts as the two of us root about the back of the car.

"We can't keep taking these stupid risks, Nick." I say.

"Stephen, Alex, everything we do has an impact."

"We've killed creatures before and nothing's happened." Stephen points out.

"How do you know that for sure?" Nick asks.

"Is this about Claudia Brown?" I ask.

"Look, maybe the strain of going through the anomalies has got to you. Maybe you only think these changes took place." Stephen suggests.

"What, do you think I dreamed Claudia Brown? Alex, you said you believed me."

"If believing you means more people getting killed, I'm not so sure I should." I say.

"The whole pattern of evolution changes and one person disappears? One person who happens to be a friend of yours." Stephen says.

"No, it's not that simple. The ARC didn't even exist before I left! There's a whole team of people in there that I've never even met! There might be countless other things, big and small! I don't know yet!" Nick yells. Stephen holds up the gun he's pulled from its box.

"I'll only use it if I have to."

***

"Don't do it, Nick." I call. He turns to me.

"Alex? What the hell-"

"Stephen and I had a feeling you'd try to pull something like this. So Abby's distracting him while I fetch you." I tell him, moving to stand beside him. 

It's really hot here, too hot, and it looks like a desert. I can't see any creatures anywhere.

"Pull something like what?" Nick asks.

"Like not coming back."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

I give Nick a look.

"Alright, I know exactly what you're talking about." he amends. "But so what, maybe it's for the best."

"What, dying out here?" I ask, looking around.

"Look, I figure if I travel through enough anomalies, then maybe I can fix it, maybe I can change things back the way they were."

"And what if there's no way back?" I ask. "What if this is the end of the line. This anomaly closes and that's it. It's suicide."

"I don't want to die, Alex. I just want to make things right, I need to make things right."

"You want to get Claudia back. I know. I want Ryan back, I want him to be here, alive. But he's not. And if you go and try to change things, you might wipe all of us out. What you need to do is go home, Nick. People need you at home. You need people at home. So let's go. Let's go home, Nick."

There is silence for a few long moments.

"Yeah, alright. Okay. Let's go."

We both look to the anomaly.

"Is it just me or is that anomaly closing?" Nick asks.

"It's not you." I say. We both start running together, sprinting for the anomaly. Nick throws his jacket away. I turn my head, and shock runs through me.

"Nick, the raptor's gone." 

"Run!" he says, grabbing my hand. He lets go as he leaps through the anomaly. I go to follow, but pain rips through my leg. I hear a loud screech. The raptor. The raptor has me.

"Help!" I yell, my hand, my head just through the anomaly. "Stephen!"

I feel hands grab mine, other hands under my arms, pulling me. This only makes the pain worse. There's a slash of burning pain on my leg, and I yell again. But then I am through, the anomaly is closed, and teeth and claws let go of my leg all at once. I am hauled to my feet by my uncle, and I lean heavily on him.

"You idiot." he mutters before hugging me to him. "Thank God you're alive."

I look down at the floor, all that remains of the Cretaceous a raptor head on the floor. I look down. My jeans are in tatters, one leg soaked in blood. Burning pain aches above my knee, where the biggest rip is, and runs down the rest of my legs. I suddenly feel rather dizzy.

"ARC. Medic. Now."

I can't even tell who has said it before everything goes black.

***

When I wake, it is to see Stephen. I'm in the medical bay at the ARC. I sit up. My jeans legs is still soaked with blood, though where the biggest wound is, above my knee, is all padded by bandages.

"Hi." My eyes are torn from my jeans by my uncle's voice. "You should be fine, the medic wants you on crutches for a day or two until the pain stops. They reckon that one'll leave a scar." he tells me, pointing at the bandages. "But I can take you home now."

"Can you pass me my phone?"

Stephen frowns, but does so.

"Look, about Helen-" he starts.

"I don't want to talk about it." I tell him before putting my phone to my ear. "Danny? Yeah, I know it's late. Listen, I need picking up."

_I'm on my way, Sunshine._

Stephen's face falls. 

"I thought..."

"I don't want to talk about it. I think...I think I just need to stay away for a bit. So I'm going to stay with Danny for a while."

***

I hobble my way into the ARC the next day on my crutches, which Connor immediately asks if he can try out. I stand with him and Abby until Nick comes in and joins us.

"Now you're finally here, perhaps we can all get going." Lester says loudly as Nick reaches us. I hear the doors swing open, hear the click click click of high heels. The most impractical shoes possible for this job.

"Hello." a woman's voice says.

"This is Jennifer Lewis." Lester says as we turn. I look at the woman. All I know for certain this soon is that I'm glad she's only PR. If she had been planning to be part of the field team, she would have had to make some serious changes to her attire. Nick walks forward while Connor, Abby and I stand and watch. And then he speaks, and his words confuse me more than anything he's said in the past day or so.

"Claudia Brown."


	8. Once Upon A Dream

_Series Two Episode Two_ **   
** **Alex**

I stare at Nick, wondering if I heard him right. Claudia Brown? But that was the woman he'd told me about, the one that had disappeared.

"Jenny, nice to meet you." she says, holding a hand out for Nick to shake. When he doesn't take it, she puts her hand back by her side.

"Miss Lewis has been appointed to a senior position on the team. That means she answers to me, and you lot answer to her." Lester tells us.

"I didn't think we answered to anybody." Stephen says from his chair, echoing my thoughts perfectly.

"Scientists." Lester mutters.

"That's quite alright, James. I'm used to working with...creative people." she struggles to find the right word for a second, so I decide to help.

"You mean weirdos." my voice cuts clearly through the room and the woman's eyes land on me for the first time. Her eyes quickly drop to my crutches before returning to my face as Lester hisses,

"Alexandra!"

"It's alright. Please do all call me Jenny." the woman says.

"Claudia." Nick says.

"My name's not Claudia."

"Claudia Brown."

"I think you're confusing me with somebody else."

"No, I know, I know. I know that you think your name is Jenny Lewis but you're actually a woman called Claudia Brown. There's a good reason for this, I can explain it." Nick says calmly and matter-of-factly.

"Yes. Meet Professor Nick Cutter, a fascinating study on the tipping point between inspiration and lunacy."

"Lester!"

"That's Alex Hart. I'll tell you about her in a minute."

"Is everything alright, Professor?" Leek asks.

"I know this sounds insane. But you're a woman called Claudia Brown. Just listen-"

"The anomaly detector, Professor." Connor cuts in, stepping towards Nick. "You, uh, you remember, you said we should talk about that. Could we do that now?" he leads Nick away. Abby stands for a minute, looking from Jenny, Lester and Leek to the direction Nick and Connor went in until her gaze lands on me.

"I'll go get you a chair, Alex. Rest your leg." she says before leaving the ops room. And I am left with my uncle. I turn on my crutches.

"You know, if you were a gentleman, you'd offer me your chair, uncle."

"Yeah, well, your gran taught all the manners to your dad." Stephen says, but he stands all the same and lets me sit. "Look, Alex...are we...alright now?" he asks.

"I don't know." I say. It's the truth. "I know that you and Nick will pretend it didn't happen, but I don't want to do that, not yet. I want to ask some questions."

"Shoot."

"Were you ever going to tell me?" I ask. There is a long moment of silence. "And there's no point trying to lie..."

"No, no, I know that. In an ideal world, I would never have let it start and then we wouldn't be in this mess. But in reality? Honestly? I don't think I was ever going to tell anyone."

I nod, thinking about what I'm going to ask next.

"Did you love her?"

"I...I...I don't know." he says.

"You always say that everyone knows when they love someone." I remind him.

"Well, I don't know, okay?"

"Do you still love her?"

"Alex, look-"

But then Abby comes back wheeling a chair, and he shuts his mouth before he can answer.

***

I'm running up to the police tape when Jenny turns from the press she's speaking to.

"Alexandra?" she calls. I stop.

"It's Alex." I correct. "Yeah?" Jenny doesn't say anything. "Are you asking me something or are you just taking the register cause I kinda have to talk to Nick." I say. "Is it because I'm late? That's just because Dan...my guardian forgot to buy bread yesterday. It was the only thing on the list and all. So we had a crisis when I wanted toast for breakfast and he wanted to make a sandwich for his lunch." When Jenny still doesn't say anything I take off again.

"How's your leg?" Nick asks when I reach him.

"Stingy." I tell him, and he glances down at the pad of bandages sticking out from the bottom of my shorts.

"You up for this?" he asks.

"Hell yeah."

"Sorry, sorry, I got here as soon as I could." I turn at Stephen's voice and frown.

"Okay?" I ask.

"Yeah, fine."

"You sure?"

"Look, I thought we had an anomaly." Stephen says, just as Nick starts walking forwards.

"Where are you going?" Jenny calls. None of us answer. "Alex, you were on crutches yesterday!"

"And now I'm not!" I call back.

"What am I supposed to do?" Jenny asks.

"Ah, you'll think of something." Nick tells her.

***

"If there's no fire the lifts'll be safe." Stephen says as we climb he stairs. Fog wisps down towards us. We stop on the eighth floor and Stephen pulls the door open. He soon closes it again. "Smells like-"

"Shit." I say, wrinkling my nose.

"Something rotting." my uncle corrects me.

"That's their version of the atmosphere. It's probably pre-Cambrian. It's high in sulphur and carbon dioxide." Nick says.

"Help, help!"

I don't even wait for either of them to move before I open the door and take off towards the shouts, pulling out one of my knives. I find a firewoman crouching on a table.

"Are you alright?" I ask.

"There's something in the fog." she tells me. I hear footsteps behind me and know that Nick and Stephen have arrived. Stephen goes over to a doorway in the wall, but backs away quickly. I soon see why.

"Give me your axe." Nick says, and the firewoman does so. As a worm wriggles up to his height, another launches itself at me. Automatically, I slash at it and step back as it falls, just as Nick fells his own worm with the axe. He holds it out to the firewoman.

"Here. Do your job."

***

**Nick**

We reach the twelfth floor. Everything above is seeping fog so thick I can't see through it.

"What do we do now?" Stephen asks.

"Can't go up. Fog's too thick." I tell him after ignoring Jenny's call.

"The lifts?" Alex suggests. I look at her and nod. All three of us stand at the door.

"Tenner says I get there first." Stephen says, and Alex grins.

"Fifteen and a batch of special edition Alex Hart banana muffins says I beat you."

"So I'm going to get twenty-five quid and some cakes." I say.

"Nope!" Alex cries before yanking the door open and taking off down the corridor.

She's already hit the button for the lift when we get there.

"Twenty-five quid for me." she says. "And you both have to make me muffins."

"Do not." Stephen says.

"Do too." Alex retorts.

"Do not." I say.

"Do too."

"Do not." we say together.

"Do too!"

It is then that the lift door pings open. Even more fog pours out of it. Worms rear up, spitting black goop. I drop the axe and turn.

"Back to the stairs!" I shout, running back to the door. But I stop before I open it. I can't hear footsteps behind me. I turn my head.

"Stephen? Alex!" 

I don't get a reply.

***

**Alex**

"Woah, woah, don't leave me!" I cry, and Stephen turns on the ladder.

"Alex?"

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm here."

"Oh my God, are you alright?"

"Yeah, fine." I tell him, clinging to the wall as best I can. I'd managed to pry the lift doors open. Stephen climbs a little further up the ladder before turning again.

"Come on."

"You want me to jump?" I ask. "Are you mad?"

"We have no choice, Alex. It's the only way up."

I nod, knowing he's right. I let go of the wall. I jump. As I jump, I hear a ding and a sliding noise. I hang off a rung for one terrible moment before my feet find their place. I can still hear the sliding. I look up, at my uncle, but he is looking down, past me. I look down too. The lift is coming up. Right for us. I hit the bottom of Stephen's shoe.

"Go!"

He starts climbing, and I go after him. We're not going fast enough. The lift is catching up. My leg is aching. Almost as if it knows I'm thinking about it, my foot slips off of its rung. It surprises me so much that one of my hands lets go of the ladder. I yell.

"Stephen!"

"Starlight!"

The ladder moves as he makes to climb down, and I can feel my fingers slipping.

"No! No, don't move!" I tell him. The ladder stops wobbling, and I reach my free hand up to the rung to try and haul myself back up. I can feel the top of the lift brushing my toes.

"Alex!"

I squeeze my eyes shut and wait.

***

**Nick**

My phone rings, I answer it immediately.

_Cutter, hi._ Stephen's voice says. _We're on the thirteenth floor, don't know exactly where._ he tells me. We. He found Alex then. Or she found him.

"Well, what are you waiting for? Come down." I say.

_Yeah, a bit of a problem with that, other than the worms...leave it with me._

"Wait, wait, what do you mean other than the worms?" I ask.

_One of them got Alex, her leg's bleeding._ Stephen tells me. I hear Alex's voice in the background, but can't quite make out what she's saying. _No, Alex, you're not fine, you can't put any weight on that leg, and the other one's not up to much._ Stephen says to her. _We'll figure it out, Nick._ he says to me before hanging up.

***

"I'm impressed. After everything Stephen's done, you're still willing to risk your life for him."

"Meaning what?" I ask without stopping.

"Lester asked me to assess everything that might interfere with the team's efficiency and I thought Stephen's affair with Helen would've come under that category." Claudia, no, Jenny says. I stop and look at her.

"So he sent you here to spy on us?" I ask.

"I'd prefer to call it management appraisal." she tells me.

"And you think I should leave both of them up there to die because of what happened with him and Helen?" I ask.

"Some people would."

"They'd leave him and Alex?"

"Some people would simply see her as collateral damage." Jenny shrugs. I look at her, shocked.

"You know, you're right. I really don't know you." I say before starting up the stairs again. "Look, whatever problems I've got with Stephen, I can sort it out myself."

***

"Cutter, you're the team leader, we can't afford to lose you." Jenny tells me, and I stop at the landing we've reached.

"And you think we can afford to lose either of them?" I ask. She ignores my question. "Alex is injured!" I remind her.

"Well, she decided to come in today." Jenny shrugs. "Now, the sensible thing to do would be to let Stephen and Alexandra fend for themselves."

"Yeah, okay, you're right." I say. "Now, are you coming, or are you going to stay down here and be sensible?"

***

**Alex**

"You took your time." I call as Nick edges into the room, Jenny behind him.

"Well, you two do insist on running off on your own. How's your leg?" Nick asks.

"My leg is fine." I tell him as Stephen moves to stand beside them. Nick is holding a leaf blower. A worm rears up beside me and I slice it with my knife without even looking at it. "These things are real bastards, aren't they?" I say, gesturing at the circle of bleeding puncture marks around my knee.

"Alexandra!" Jenny cries. I don't even reply, looking at the fog beside the table I'm sitting on. It's... "The fog's lifting." Jenny says.

"It's working." Nick says. The worms thrash around. They're...growing.

"What's happening? Nick?" I ask.

"Must be the heat." Nick says. It is certainly warm in here.

"They're expanding." Jenny says. And not a second later, the worms start to explode, showering all four of us in goop. Not just goop. Tiny, leech like creatures are stuck to my skin. Automatically, I start to pull them off, which stings.

"They're spawning!" Nick shouts. "They're not biting, they're burrowing. They're trying to find a new host. Don't let them break the skin!" I pull one off my ankle and the side of my nose, wincing. But they are everywhere, all over me. All over all of us.

"We've got to find something to bring the temperature down." Nick says, looking around as I pull a leech off my leg. 

"It'll take too long." Stephen tells him.

"Nick! Sprinklers! They have sprinklers, we need a light." I tell him. I'd noticed them when Stephen and I had come into the room. I point to said sprinkler, and Nick climbs onto the table as I pull another leech off the inside of my elbow.

"Anybody got a light?" Nick asks. Like magic, Jenny produces a lighter from her bag. All the leeches are off me by now, but I'm still covered in goop. And I'm soon also covered in water as the sprinklers start. Jenny is crying as Nick jumps off the table, as my uncle walks towards me.

"Claudia, are you alright?" Nick asks.

"Don't call me Claudia!" Jenny cries, and Stephen and I share a look. "And I'm fine." Jenny adds. Before long, Stephen, Nick and I are laughing for no reason at all.

***

Stephen sets me down on the steps leading up to the building, then sits beside me and Nick sits on my other side.

"Do you ever wonder if what we're doing is right?" Stephen asks. "I mean, maybe the anomalies have a purpose, maybe we should stop fighting, and face them."

"What? Just stand by and do nothing?" Nick asks.

"People should know what's happening." Stephen says. "Cause we're going to need to prepare for what comes next."

"And what is that?" I ask. "How do you prepare for a world where evolution's gone mad?"

"We have to fight to try and maintain some kind of natural order." Nick says.

"Does anybody really know what the natural order is anymore?" Stephen asks. Nick stands and walks away without another word, and Stephen sighs before saying, "Starlight, talk to me. What do you think?" it takes me a moment to answer.

"I don't think letting the public know is a good idea. I mean, can you imagine what would happen? A lot more people would die. They'd want answers, answers we can't give them. Not yet, at least." I pause to sigh. 

"Look, I don't know." I say. "I don't know if we're doing the right thing, I don't know what's going to happen. But I do know that doing this? Doing what we do? It protects people. And that's what I want to do."


	9. Valerie

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Eh, let's just pretend they have more modern touch-screen phones than the ones they actually use because I've forgotten how those ones work

_Series Two Episode Three_ **   
** **Alex**

I can feel eyes on me as I look at my phone, so I look up.

"What is it, Leek? Did you want to ask me something?" I ask. He shakes his head.

"No, no, Alexandra. Nothing at all." he says. He refuses to call me Alex. I look back down at my phone, but he's still looking at me. I hear his footsteps walking towards me but then the ops room doors burst open.

"Sorry!" Connor yells as he bursts in, Abby right behind him. He goes to the monstrosity of screens he's set up, taps a few keys and, once it lights up, turns to us.

"I'd like you to meet the Anomaly Detection Device, or the ADD for short. Actually, that's probably not the best acronym-"

"Connor." Nick interrupts him.

"Sorry." Connor says.

"Breathe." Nick and I tell him together.

"Sorry." Connor says again. "Okay. What you're looking at is a fully integrated graphic representation of the radio communications matrix, networking the whole of the UK's transmitters." Connor tells us, looking very proud, yet worried.

"Congratulations. You've built your very own Sat Nav." Jenny says, and I glare at her as Connor deflates.

"I believe you can get them dashboard size nowadays." Leek says, and he and Jenny start laughing. Connor forces a laugh too before looking at me, Nick and Abby.

"This watches over the UK 24/7, so, " Connor presses a button and a loud alarm blares through the building.

"What is that?" Leek asks after a moment.

"That is just a demo. But when a real anomaly appears, this machine can alert us within seconds." Connor tells us.

"Good work." Nick says.

"Thank you very much." Connor says before switching the alarm off and picking up what looks like a walkie talkie on steroids. "Here's one I made earlier." he says as Leek's phone starts beeping. "This is a palm held detector to use in the field." Connor explains, handing it to Nick as Leek moves away from us to speak into his phone.

"It's a short wave radio receiver. It's got effective range of about 100 metres or so." Connor adds.

"I was hoping for something a little more compact." Nick says, passing it to Stephen.

"Okay, it's just a prototype, so we can work on that."

"Have you tried beaming up with it yet?" Jenny asks.

"Look, Jenny, are you here to help or just to piss us all off?" I ask.

"Alex." Stephen warns, handing the hand held detector back to Connor.

"No, I will not calm down. She can't just-"

"This is a serious piece of kit. It will be when I've ironed out the kinks." Connor cuts in. I fold my arms, glaring at Jenny.

"Technical question." Leek says.

"Yes?" Connor asks.

"Is the detector online now?"

"It is."

"So it should be picking up every new anomaly?"

"Yeah."

"So why have I just been told that we have a new creature attack?"

***

In the car, I'm getting lectured.

"You need to calm down around Jenny, Alex."

"She does nothing but insult us! She told Nick to leave us behind in that office building, Stephen!" I cry.

"Yes, I know."

"Then why do I have to calm down? Why doesn't she get told to reel herself in a little?" I ask.

"Because she reports to Lester. All your little outbursts will be going straight to him."

I fold my arms and stare out of the window. "Well, I'm sorry, but you always told me to stand up for people. You also told me that we never kept secrets. But I guess your own morals don't matter to you anymore." I snap.

"I will stop this car right here."

"Go ahead."

He doesn't stop the car, but he doesn't try to talk to me again.

***

"Alright, Abby, I've seen enough. Zip up the body." Nick says, and Abby zips the body bag shut. "Claw marks everywhere, he's been ripped to shreds."

"If I was back at the zoo I'd say it was a lion. See how the bones have been gnawed?" Abby asks.

"Alright. A big cat then." I say looking up at Connor.

"No radio interference. No magnetic field. No sign of an anomaly." he tells us. "You know, I checked. I double checked every chip and circuit board in that detector. It's working, I'm telling you. If there was an anomaly, it'd have shown up. I'd stake my life on it."

"May have to." Nick mutters.

"No, no, maybe he's got a point. Perhaps there is another explanation for this." Stephen says as I look down at my phone. Two percent. Damn it.

"There are thousands of big cat sightings every year." Abby points out. "Pumas, leopards, lynxes."

"But they're not really big enough to do this kind of damage." I say, pointing at the body bag.

"It could have escaped from a private zoo." Abby suggests.

"Yeah. Well, find out if anything's been reported." Nick tells her as Stephen's phone beeps. He pulls it out of his pocket and stares at it for a moment. "Everything okay?" Nick asks.

"Yeah, yeah." he says absentmindedly before walking off. I try my own phone again. Just as it dies. Crap.

"Hey! Stephen!" I call, going after him. "Can I borrow your phone? Only mine's just died and I need-"

"No."

I stop, taken aback a little.

"Is this because I was rude in the car?" I ask. "Look, I'm sorry, but Jenny pisses me off sometimes, just like you do."

"No, it's not because of that. It's because you can't use my phone."

"Why not?"

"It's just died." he says quickly. He's lying to me. Again.

"Stephen, you were just texting someone. Now come on, I need to call Danny." He turns suddenly. And I know in an instant that something is wrong. "Are you oka-"

"Look, just go and ask someone else, Alex." my uncle snaps before turning away from me again. I stand in surprised silence for a long moment before turning and walking back to Connor. Nick's disappeared somewhere.

"Hey, Sergeant Nerd, do you mind if I borrow your phone a minute?" I ask.

"Yeah, sure." Connor says, handing me the phone without question. I step away to call Danny, which doesn't take as long as I had expected, and then go into Connor's messages. I want to send one to Abby. I scroll through the names as I walk back over to Connor. And then I stop and look up at him.

"Oh? Who's Caroline?" I ask, smiling.

"Have I not told you yet? She's my girlfriend." Connor tells me proudly.

"Girlfriend?" I repeat, my nose scrunching up.

"No need to be so surprised, Commander." he says.

"I just thought..." I start, looking at Abby's name on his phone. But then I switch it off and hand it back to him. "Never mind."

"Alex!" Nick's voice shouts suddenly, and I turn to it. "Come on, we're going to talk to the manager!"

***

"Are you insane?" the park manager asks. Funny how many people seem to think that about us. "This is peak season, do you have any idea how much money we're talking about?" he asks before grabbing a kid's shoulder and turning him around. "Hiya, I'm Peter. Hope you're having a great holiday at Blue Sky Park." he says, ruffling the boy's hair. "Keep smiling."

"One of your guests has just been mauled to death by a big cat." I remind him. He's being so utterly stupid about the whole situation.

"Are you sure, girlie? Did you see it?"

"Call me girlie one more time-"

"Not yet." Nick cuts in.

"Then this conversation is over." he mutters before calling out, "Hi, I'm Peter, keep smiling!"

"Look, you're going to have to evacuate this place." Nick tells him.

"Peter, he's right." Valerie, the Deputy Manager, says.

"When I want your opinion I'll ask for it." Peter Campbell says, an edge to her voice that makes us all stop in our tracks. "What if I close the park and nothing happens? It'll cost us millions in compensation."

"He's got a point." Jenny says.

"What?" Nick and I ask together.

"We don't want to cause unnecessary panic. How about we shut off the paintballing area, keep everything else open? How does that sound?" Jenny asks.

"I can live with that." Peter says._ I can't._ I think. But then he turns to me and presses a sticker on my shirt. "Keep smiling, girlie. And if either of you say the words big cat out loud again, I'll sue you." he says, walking backwards away from us. Valerie follows him automatically.

"Can I murder him? Please?" I ask.

"Yeah, I'm in." Nick says.

"Evacuate and we get media meltdown. How am I supposed to keep a lid on that?" Jenny asks. "What if one of the press stumbles into the anomaly in the woods?"

"What if there isn't an anomaly?" I suggest in an attempt to protect Connor from Lester later.

"Listen, this animal is going to kill again, it's inevitable." Nick says.

"Perhaps. But I have to think running that risk is the lesser of two evils."

"Like it was last time, when two of our team's lives were on the line?" I ask pointedly.

"If we keep this place open, people are going to die." Nick tells her.

"It's your job to see they don't. It's my job to protect the integrity of this operation." Jenny tells him.

"At any cost?" he asks. "Maybe we get lucky. Maybe the noise will keep it away." Nick says before we turn together and walk away.

***

As I emerge from the bushes, I find a gun being pointed at my chest.

"You don't want to do that, uncle, no matter how pissed off you are."

"Bloody hell, Alex. What the hell are you doing?" Stephen asks, letting his gun fall.

"I came to help. Have you found anything?" I ask.

"Just these." he tells me, pointing at prints on the ground. "Take a look." he says. He seems alright again, or at least he's forgiven me for being rude to him and Jenny. So I crouch down and look.

"Going...west. From the paintball area..." I start, pointing to one side and then to another, "And going to..."

"A farm not too far away. Well done, Starlight." he says, messing up my hair as I stand. "Nick and Abby are on their way."

"What about Connor?" I ask, and he pulls a face.

***

"It's Jenny." Abby calls as she walks up to me and Nick. He's looking at a map. I'm searching the car for a phone charger. I poke my head out the door.

"What's she saying now?" I ask.

"She says the farm you and Stephen saw belongs to a man called West." she tells me, and I climb out of the car and pull myself up onto the bonnet, wrinkling Nick's map. "And get this, he used to import exotic animals. Lost his license three years ago for illegally bringing in lion cubs for a private zoo."

I look at Nick, sliding off the car.

"So we're going to check it out, right?" I ask, and Nick nods.

"Tell her we're on our way." he tells Abby, and she relays the information. "She says she'll meet you there." Abby calls just as I go to climb into the driver's seat.

"Why, why, why is she coming?" Nick asks.

"Because she doesn't trust you with the public." Abby states, smiling as I start to laugh. She looks at me. "Neither of you." she adds, which shuts me up sharpish.

***

"Oi, you!"

Nick and I turn from the door we were just about to open to see a man lugging two buckets.

"Who are you? What do you want?" the man asks. This must be the farmer, West.

"We're, uh, we're from the James Lester Animal Foundation. You've probably heard of us." Nick says. I try not to frown. There is no way he's going to take that.

"No, I haven't." the man says, continuing walking towards us.

"Oh, well, never mind. We've had a bit of bad luck recently, had to have a lion put down. I heard that you might be the man to help us replace it."

"Nick!" I mutter, jabbing him with my elbow.

"I'm not in that game anymore." West says. I step forward.

"Look, my colleague's being silly. I'm Alex Hart, this is Nick Cutter. We're from the Ministry." I tell him. "And he's trying to get you to tell us what's in the barn."

"Excuse me?"

"Well, that's an awful lot of meat for some chickens." I say, peering into the buckets. "What's in the barn, Mr West?"

"You've got to leave now." West says.

"What's in the barn?" Nick asks. West puts the buckets down and starts walking towards me.

"Look-"

"Mr West!"

Jenny's arrived.

"Hi. Jenny Lewis. Nice to meet you." she says as she reaches us and sticks a hand out to West. "I'm sorry about my colleagues. I told them it was a dirty trick." Jenny continues, looking at Nick.

"Trick?" West repeats, looking at me.

"Yeah, trying to catch you out like that. We're from the Ministry, you see."

"Yeah, Miss Hart said that." West tells her. Jenny looks at me, confused, and I smile innocently.

"We had a report you might have been going back into your old animal importing business." Jenny says.

"Miss Hart didn't mention that."

"It's Alex, please, Mr West." I'm enjoying this far more than I should be.

"And anyway, that's rubbish."

"Of course it is. So it won't bother you showing us what's in that barn one bit, will it?" Jenny asks. I turn my head to look at Nick, raising my eyebrows as he does the same.

"It's dogs. That's all." West says, looking at me.

"Oh, I love dogs! Couldn't just have a quick peek, could we?" Jenny asks.

"Might as well, Mr West. Get her off your back. I quite like dogs myself." I mutter as he dithers.

"Alright. But stand back." he tells me as he walks to the door. Nick heads over to us, sending me a look.

"Unbelievable." he mutters.

"What?" Jenny and I ask together. And then a bunch of German Shepherds burst through the doors of the barn. Nick pulls Jenny backwards as I automatically put myself between them and the dogs.

"I'm breeding them. For pets." West says over the barking.

"Guard dogs, surely, Mr West?" I ask.

"Yeah. Yeah, guard dogs."

"Well thank you very much, Mr West. Sorry to have bothered you."

"You're a flirt." Nick says as we walk away.

"Flirt?" Jenny asks.

"You, you were flirting with him."

"I was just being friendly. Your way wasn't exactly working, was it?"

"Well no, I don't have the eyelashes for it." I feel an elbow being nudged into my side. "Alex seems to though."

"Oh shut up, Nick."

"Listen, you two do the creatures. I do the people." Jenny says, holding a hand out for Nick to shake. "Deal?"  
he looks at her hand before laughing and walking away, and I follow.

***

"What are these?" Abby asks.

"Heat sensitive cameras." Nick says, throwing one to me, which I immediately pull on and proceed to make stupid faces at Connor as Nick continues, "The creature knows this territory well. It's made a kill here. And I think it's going to come back and most likely it's nocturnal, so it's senses are going to be sharper than ours."

"Alexandra." Stephen's voice cuts through the air as I pull another face as Connor. I straighten up, making my face go flat.

"Sorry." I mutter.

"I'd rather you come out of this alive, Starlight." he says dryly.

"I shouldn't have to say this, but be careful." Nick says, sending a look to Connor. "Any questions?" Connor puts his hand up. "What?"

"Can I have a gun?" Connor asks. I look at Abby and we roll our eyes at the same time.

"Take a wild guess." Nick tells him.

"No?"

"Good guess. If you're worried, stay close to the girls."

As we start to walk away from the car, I stay at the back of the group, watching Connor as he stumbles around, adjusting to the goggles.

"I was trying to protect people today you know." Connor says to Abby after a while, lifting his goggles off. "I think if you were in that situation you'd have done exactly the same thing." I walk slightly faster to move past him.

"Yeah, but she wouldn't have shot the dude in the lion costume." I tell him.

"The sun was in my eyes when I-" Connor starts, pretending to hold a gun before cutting himself off. "I'm not talking about it again." I hear him flick the goggles back down. "Although you two do look really hot through these." As I walk away, giving him a good view of my middle finger, I hear Abby say,

"It's infrared, Connor, not x-ray."

As I walk further away from them, I start to hear the snaps of twigs and branches. I move slower, turning carefully until, through the goggles, I can see a van. So I creep closer, closer. I walk round the other side of the car, just as I hear multiple twigs break at once and I aim my gun at the noise.

"It's Valerie!"

"I know who you are-" another voice starts, and my gun swings to the noise almost automatically. "Starlight, don't, it's me." Stephen says, holding a hand up before speaking to Valerie again, "What are you doing out here?"

"My van. The engine just cut out, I didn't know what to do." Valerie says as I flick my goggles up so I can see her properly.

"Where do you live?" I ask.

***

I was not allowed to drive the car, so I sit in the passenger seat, watching carefully out of the windows.

"When you catch this animal, what will you do to it?" Valerie asks suddenly, and my uncle and I share a look. Most likely thing to happen is that, if there isn't an anomaly, we'll take it back to the ARC with us.

"I don't know." Stephen says after a moment.

"Kill it, I suppose." Valerie mutters.

"No. No, of course not." I say, and I get a sharp look from Stephen. "No, we're not killing it." I say, a little more forcefully.

"Who are you people?" Valerie asks.

"I'm Stephen."

"And I'm Alex."

"She's my niece."

"Only family I have, so I kind of have no choice but to put up with him." I say, smiling. Stephen reaches out a hand and pushes my shoulder, but he's smiling too.

"Ah, you love me really."

"That's not what I meant." Valerie says. "Why the secrecy? No police, no press. Why is this such a special case to you?" she asks, and our smiles fall.

"I can't talk about it. I'm sorry, Valerie." Stephen says.

"Mystery Man." Valerie says, a laugh in her voice.

"That's me." he says, a smile creeping up on him again. And Nick had the nerve to say I was flirting earlier. "Look, Valerie, I'd love to tell you more-" I send my uncle a sharp look. What the hell is he saying? "I mean, there are things happening." he continues, "Things we're trying to keep under control."

"Things you've done, you mean?" Valerie asks.

"Stephen!" I hiss. Jenny'll go off her head.

"I can't say anymore."

***

When Valerie climbs out of the car, I do too to check all the stuff in the back. I'd heard things rattling around just as we'd reached her house. Valerie goes round to Stephen's window and speaks. Her voice is quiet, but it carries through the silent night air.

"Please tell me what's going on, Stephen. I know you want to."

"Look, we're the good guys, Valerie." Stephen tells her. "At least I think we are. Just go inside and get some sleep."

I wave at Valerie as she opens her door, looking back at the car. But she's looking at my uncle, not me. She's smiling. And when I get back into my seat, Stephen's smiling too. I wait until I hear Valerie's door close before saying,

"You like her, don't you?" I ask. He's trying to hide his smile from me now as he starts driving.

"Don't be silly, Starlight." he mutters, and I start to laugh.

"You do, you do!" I cry, poking him. He waves me off, smiling widely.

"Oh, shut up."

"You do! You like Valerie!"

"You should not be so excited about this."

"You admit it!"

"I said nothing of the sort!"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah."

***

"Nick, you idiot!" I'm yelling as I run to him.

"Alex, be careful!" Abby shouts. I don't care. I need to know he's okay.

"Nick? Nick, you eejit, are you hurt?"

"I'm fine, Alex. Just fine." he tells me as I reach him.

"Good. Then I can do this." I say, thumping his arm. "You idiot, you could have died!"

"And the things you do won't get you killed?" he asks.

"I remember what the creatures can do! God, Nick. Smilodon could run nearly 40 miles an hour when it wanted to. And it hunted from trees._ Trees,_ Nick. So what do you do? Climb up a bloody tree!"

"Yeah, yeah, Alex, I get it." Nick says, using me to pull himself back onto his feet. "Now, give me an explanation for this."

***

"Savaged. He's virtually cut in half." Nick says as we walk towards Abby, Connor, Stephen and Leek, both of us covered in mud.

"How long's he been there?" Abby asks.

"Dunno. A week, maybe a month." I offer.

"Well, if it's been there that long the anomaly could have formed before the detector came online which means there's nothing wrong with it, guys." Connor says, and Stephen and I both nod.

"Thing is, Con, the sabre-tooth might have killed the guy..." I start.

"But it certainly didn't dig a trench ten feet deep and bury his body." Nick finishes for me.

"Someone knows. Someone's been protecting it." Abby says.

"West." Leek says suddenly.

"What?" Nick asks.

"Jenny needed someone to pin an escaped lion story on. She said this man West fitted the bill. She wanted to create a cover story for the press." Leek explains. "She left half an hour ago." I look at Nick as Stephen turns.

"Better stay here in case it comes back." he says, running. I look between them, torn.

"Go." Nick says. "West might listen to you, Alex. I'll be fine."

***

"Give me the gun." Stephen orders. West turns. He sees my uncle, sees Abby, then me as I hear Connor pick something up. As his eyes land on me, he frowns.

"I will shoot you, Mr West. Give us the gun, and let Jenny go." I say. After a moment, he holds the gun out, and I step forward to take it.

"Who are you people?" he mutters. "You're not the Ministry, are you?"

"You don't want to know who we are. Trust me." I tell him, passing the gun back to Stephen, without letting my own gun waver from West.

"Are you alright?" Abby asks.

"I'm fine." Jenny says, getting to her feet. "Should have shot him though, this is my best coat!"

"The sabretooth. Is it here?" Abby asks as Jenny walks out.

"Sabretooth?" West repeats. "What are you on about?"

"If West's acting, he deserves an Oscar." Stephen says as we walk away with Jenny, both of us automatically sticking our guns in our waistbands.

"If he didn't bury the body, who did?" Jenny asks. Neither of us know, so we don't say anything. At least, I don't until Stephen in the car.

"Jenny?" I call.

"Yes?" she asks, turning.

"We just saved your life. That's what a team does. They look out for each other. Rather than, you know, leaving each other to die." I tell her. "That's as good as murder."

"What are you-"

"You told Nick to leave us behind because Stephen had been with Helen. You said that that was what most people would have done. And the last anomaly we were at, you were all set to leave Connor stuck with that Dromaeosaur. You're prepared to let people at this park die just so your job isn't too difficult."

"I don't understand what you're implying, Alexandra." Jenny says. She's not impressed with me, and ready to tell me off. I don't care.

"I just think you need to learn what being part of this team is. It's being part of a family. We will continue to save your skin when you get in trouble. I just hope that one day I can trust you to do the same for me."  
  
***

"Valerie? Valerie! Valerie!" I'm shouting, yelling, screaming, even though I know she can't hear me. I'm running to her until I'm grabbed and pulled back.

"Don't, Starlight. Don't. She's gone." Stephen says as my hand flies to my mouth at the sight of her. "This should never have happened." he mutters. "We could have saved her." he continues as a sob chokes out of me.

"I tried." Nick says. All our voices are fragile, threatening to break as I whisper,

"Valerie."

Stephen lets go of me and crouches next to Nick as I fall to my knees. I feel a hand on my shoulder, but I can't even think whose it is.

"How many Valeries are there going to be before we just start telling people what's going on?" Stephen asks, just loud enough for me to hear.

"You said something to her. You or Alex said something that made her think we were to blame." Nick says after a moment.

"No. No, neither of us said anything. But I wish I had."

***

"Alexandra?"

I lift my head, rubbing my eyes.

"Yes, Leek. I'm fine." I say automatically, even as I sniff and my eyes sting. But I can tell by his face that he wasn't even going to ask.

"The creature...died on the way back." he says.

"What?"

"A heart attack."

"That creature was in perfect health." I say, standing up. Leek shrugs.

"It's possible that Abby-"

"Abby knows exactly what she's doing." I hiss. After everything we did to keep it alive, everything that's gone wrong, and now it's dead. "So don't blame it on her. I assume they're prepping the post mortem for us to do now?" I ask.

"Um, I'm afraid the, uh, the creature has already been destroyed." Leek is refusing to look at me.

"Why?" I ask.

"I have to go home now." he says, still not looking at me, fiddling with his collar. He's showing all the signs of lying, but I'm too scattered right now to notice. But I still notice that something doesn't seem right as he walks out, so I follow him.

"Leek? Leek! Oliver!" I call, but he doesn't turn.

"Alex?"

I turn to find my uncle. I swipe at my eyes again.

"Hi." I sound like I've got a cold. And so does he. Stephen holds out an arm, and I put myself under it. "Let's go home." I say, leaning my head against his shoulder. But just as we start walking, an alarm blares through the building. Connor's anomaly alarm.


	10. Holding Out For A Hero

_Series Two Episode Four_ **  
** **Alex**

I sneeze suddenly, explosively, and Jenny jumps, almost toppling into the manhole we're standing around.

"Jeez, Starlight, there's a reason I tell you not to wear shorts every day."

"He has a point, Princess."

"Oh shut up, the two of you. I don't wear shorts every day. And I've only got a cold because Connor pushed me into the river last week."

"He never mentioned that." Nick mutters.

"Yeah, cause Abby shoved him in after me."

"Look, can we concentrate here?" Jenny asks as I sniff and Stephen laughs. "The boy's name is Lucien Hope. His friends said he seemed to be struggling with something." she tells us. _They didn't help him though. _I think.

"Did they see anything?" Nick asks.

"Maybe he just lost his footing." Stephen offers.

"The lid's been lifted clean off, Stephen." I point out.

"Water pressure?" Jenny suggests.

"Could be. But rainfall's been below average this month. And floods don't happen for no reason." Nick tells her.

"So, the anomaly's underwater?" I ask. I hate underwater anomalies. Partly because an underwater anomaly brought Helen back. And because Connor shoved me into that river last week. As if on cue, I sneeze again.

"Where does this drain go?" Nick asks as I dab at my nose.

"Back to the canal." Jenny tells him.

"Seal it off and tell Abby and Connor to meet us at the other end."

"Okay." Jenny says before walking away as she taps on her phone.

"Do you think he's still alive?" Stephen asks when Jenny is out of earshot.

"I don't know. But I ain't giving up on him until I know for sure." Nick tells him.

"Well, what are we waiting for?" I ask, dangling my feet into the hole. "Let's go find him."

***

"Abby!" Nick calls, "Is there any way out of this canal?"

"The locks have been closed, it's completely sealed." she replies.

"Then it's still in here."

"What is?" Connor asks.

"Dunno yet." I tell him.

"But we have to find out fast, it'll be dark in a few hours. Jenny, go in that boat with Abby and Connor. You see anything, call us. Let's go." I automatically go to follow Nick and my uncle, but Stephen stops me from getting into their boat.

"I want to come with you." I tell him.

"And I want you to look after the kids." he says, nodding towards Jenny, Connor and Abby.

"I thought I was one of the kids."

"Yeah, well, Abby and Connor look like they're going to kick off again and you know none of you listen to Jenny." Stephen says before lowering his voice. "And make sure Jenny doesn't pop the boat with her bloody heels." By the time I do climb into the boat, Abby and Connor are arguing again. I hear Caroline's name.

"Can you two just stop? Unless she's murdered someone, I don't want to hear any more about Caroline! You hear me?" I explode, and Connor shrinks. A few minutes later, when we're cruising around, he says,

"You know, you don't understand either, Andy. Neither of you have got girlfriends."

"That's because Abby is more inclined to be attracted to boys, Connor." I remind him.

"But you know what I mean. I mean, come on, Abby hasn't been on a date since I met her-"

"Which is mostly your fault." Abby mutters darkly.

"And it's not like you've been asked out by anyone recently, Andy." Connor continues, talking over Abby.

"Not that you know of." I say quietly. He doesn't know about me and Captain Ryan. No one does.

"What was that?"

"Nothing."

***

"Back up, I saw something." Abby hisses suddenly.

"Where?" Connor asks.

"That way, port, about twenty metres." The boat bubbles away. "I said port!"

"This is port!" Connor tells her.

"Starboard then! Just go before it disappears!"

"How am I supposed to tell him which way to steer if you don't know which way is which?"

"I've lost it now!"

"Oh great, great. You know what, why don't you give me a go?"

I share a look with Jenny. Connor would probably drop the light into the water.

"What can you see that I can't?" Abby asks.

"Well maybe you've-"

"Oh for heaven's sake, you two argue like a couple of kids over a toy!" Jenny shouts suddenly. "Look, out of the way, I'll do it." she says, pushing Connor out of the way.

"Jenny, be care-" The boat jolts before I can finish my sentence. It's almost like something's hit it. But the force of it has made Jenny topple into the water. "Jenny!" But she's gone, the water too dark to see her. "Abby, the light!" I call, and she moves to shine it over the water as Jenny bobs to the surface, life-jacket inflated.

"What just happened?" Jenny yells.

"Dunno, we must have hit something!" Connor calls back. "Come on, we'll get you out."

"Swim, Jenny! You've got to swim!" I shout to her. If there is a creature in the water, Jenny could end up dead. "Come on, Jenny!"

"Connor! Alex!"

My worst fears are confirmed as I look where Abby is pointing the light. What looks like a shark fin is cutting through the water.

"Swim, Jenny! Jenny!" Connor and Abby are yelling at her. I'm pulling my handgun from my jeans. The boat rocks suddenly and I drop it. I fall to the floor of the boat to look for it as Connor and Abby keep yelling. But then,

"I can't swim!" Jenny screams as I spring to my feet, gun in hand. Abby and Connor's yells are suddenly drowned out by my utter panic. I shoot again and again, but all the bullets whiz past Jenny, past the creature and into the water. My hands are shaking too much for me to get a hit. Someone else's voice is suddenly in my head.

_Bloody hell, Alex Hart. Shoot the _ _damn_ _ thing._

I fire again, but my aim is way off.

_Come on, Alex Hart. Come on. You know you can do it._ It's Ryan. Captain Ryan's voice.

"Yes I bloody well can." I mutter to myself. And this time, my bullet hits its target.

_Yes! Fifty points! Do it again!_

I shoot again, and my bullet hits the creature again.

"Swim, Jenny. Just keep swimming."

And then a boat appears seemingly out of nowhere. Nick and Stephen. Nick is pulling Jenny out of the water. I hear rapid gunshots as Stephen shoots the creature. My hands are shaking again as the water turns red.

"Better late than never!" I hear Connor shout.

***

I'm about to walk down the slope to where the shark is hanging when Stephen grabs my arm.

"What happened out there?" he asks.

"What do you mean?" I ask, though I think I already know what he means. Stephen dangles my hand gun in front of me, and I snatch it back.

"This. You froze. What happened?" he asks. I look away from him, staring at the wall opposite me instead. He waits. "Alex." he prompts after the silence stretches on longer than he would like. I hang my head. I catch sight of the dead shark and turn from the railing to stare at the floor instead.

"I got scared. I panicked." I tell him.

"You were scared?" Stephen asks, voice quiet now. I don't get scared often. My eyes start to sting.

"It's just...so many people are dead. Some of them were our friends. And they're all dead. I...I didn't want Jenny to go the same way." I'm still staring at floor as Stephen pulls me to him, resting his chin on my head. He stays silent for a moment.

"See, this is why I want to tell people about this. So they don't get hurt."

I push myself away from him. I'm not quite sure why. I swipe a hand at my face, feeling small drops of water on my face. I must be pulling some kind of face, as Stephen frowns and asks,

"What's wrong?"

"What's wrong? Jenny could have died, Stephen. And you're saying _that's_ why you want to tell the_ public?_ Because one of our own nearly died?"

"That's not what I meant."

"Stephen! Alex! Come on!" Nick's voice yells from the level below us. I speak before Stephen can.

"I...I'm going to find Connor."

"Starlight, wait."

"I'm going to find Connor."

***

I am told to stay at home the next morning because of my cold. I don't.

"Look, something about this just doesn't add up." Nick says, "I think we should widen the search to the canal side." Nick had given me his theory in lieu of a greeting this morning. It made sense. I agreed with him. I hadn't told Stephen this yet.

"This is another of your hunches, isn't it?" Stephen asks as I sneeze. Nick passes me a tissue as Stephen continues, "We can't just drop everything, you know. There's a plan in place. A good one."

"You would say that, it's your plan." I say, my voice thick with my cold.

"Well when have I ever been wrong?" Nick asks, and I share a look with my uncle. "Except about women, generally." Nick adds, and Stephen smiles. But I frown. Women? Nick doesn't talk about women. If anything, he avoids the subject.

"Look at the odds, it's got to be in the canal." my uncle tells my godfather.

"Just give me a few minutes, I just want to look over there." Nick says.

"What am I meant to tell Lester?" Stephen asks.

"Cover for me."

"No. Cause you're wasting time."

"I will." I say, "I can stall Lester till the end of time, you know that."

"Alex." Stephen hisses. I don't look at him. Nick gives me a crooked smile.

"I'll only need ten minutes."

He's gone before Stephen can protest. I'm gone before he can catch me.

***

The boats have been taken back, and Connor and I are pulled off. I'm still soaking wet. I'd jumped into the water to try and find Abby.

"No. No. What are you doing?" Connor asks. "We have to keep looking. We can't...we can't just stop."

"Stephen?" my voice is shaking as I do. Neither of them are looking at us.

"This is Abby we're talking about, we can't just give up. Right?" Connor says, eyes already rimmed red. He's already been in tears. So have I.

"Stephen?" I ask again. "Stephen, look at me." he doesn't.

"We can't stop looking for her!" Connor says, voice rising to a shout as he pushes himself towards a boat. But Stephen catches him.

"Connor, Connor, Connor. We're doing everything we can."

Connor looks to Nick now as tears escape me again. I'm too cold to move.

"We told you to get help. Why didn't you get help, why?"

"How did this happen?" Lester asks. I hadn't noticed he was here. He's followed by Jenny, Leek. And soldiers.

"I was following up a lead." Nick tells him.

"And who did you tell about it?" when Nick doesn't answer, Lester asks Stephen, "Did you know about this?"

"No." Stephen says. He's still not looking at me.

"And now the girl's dead."

"She's not dead!" the words rip out of me and Connor at the same time.

"She's not dead!" I shout again by myself. She can't be dead.

"We could just go out there and find her! All we need to do is get back in the boat and do something!" Connor shouts.

"Why is nobody doing anything?" we yell at the same time.

"Take them home." Lester nods to Leek.

"No. No, no, please. Please, we have to find her." I say.

"Don't do this." Connor begs.

"Stephen? Stephen, please." I'm begging too. But he's still not looking at me as Leek takes my elbow and leads me away.

***

I don't go to Danny's house. Stephen would be able to find me there. I go to Ryan Mason. One of my oldest friends. I've known him since before Helen disappeared. He was one of Patrick's friends. I got on with Ryan as well as I did with Patrick. Ryan's mother takes one look at my tear-stained face and pulls me inside, hugging me to her. I break, sobbing into her shoulder as she rubs my back.

"There there, dear. It's alright. It's okay."

Ryan is unceremoniously kicked out of his room.

"Look at you, you're soaking wet." his mother tuts, plucking at my sleeve. It wrinkles uncomfortably back onto me like a second skin.

"I fell into a canal." I tell her, and she shakes her head.

"Have you had another falling out with Stephen?" she asks. I shrug.

"You could say that."

I'm given an old pair of Ryan's pyjamas bottoms, a t shirt and a mug of hot chocolate. His mum wraps my hair up in a towel despite my protests that I can manage.

"You've already got a cold, dear, I'm not going to let you get any worse."

Mrs Mason dries my hair. It's a peculiar feeling. No one has ever dried my hair for me, certainly not with a hairdryer. Helen had shown me how to twist my hair up into a towel and left me to it. When I was little, Stephen would just rub my head with a towel and hope for the best. But Mrs Mason is taking her time, brushing my hair and running her fingers through it to work out the knots, making sure the air rushing out of the hairdryer isn't too hot, checking the towel around my shoulders won't fall down.

I wonder if my mother would do this, if she were alive. I wonder if we would have been close, like Stephen and I are. My uncle has told me that I got my observation skills from her. I drift off into a fantasy of me and my mother sitting on a bench and analysing passers by. I start to wonder if I would be taller than her. Probably not. And I know I wouldn't be taller than my father, because he had been taller than Stephen.

"Careful you don't nod off, Alex." Mrs Mason's voice shakes me back to reality.

Half an hour later, Ryan flops onto the bed beside me, making a loud noise of complaint. I don't bother to look away from the movie I'm watching on his laptop. I reach out a hand and pat his shoulder.

"Hello to you too."

"You've stolen my mother." he tells me, rolling onto his back.

"Hm?"

"My bed, my clothes. My bloody laptop."

"Ooh, such foul language, young grasshopper."

"I'm older than you!" he protests before rolling over to look at me properly. "What happened?"

"A whole lot of shit. I can't actually tell you."

"What? Why?"

"If I told you, I'd have to kill you. I'd be breaking the Official Secrets Act."

"Yeah right."

***

Connor and I arrive at the old warehouse at the same time. He doesn't see me. I don't make a sound as I follow him in.

"Would this help?" he asks Nick, holding out the crowbar he's holding.

"Yeah. Yeah, that'll do the trick. And...thanks for coming."

"Well, with respect, I'm not doing it for you."

"Without respect, neither am I." I say. Connor doesn't show any surprise at my being here as he says,

"It's what she would have wanted. We had an argument." I find Connor's hand and hold onto it as he continues, "The last things we said to each other were mean and stupid."

"She knew how much you cared about her." Nick tells him.

"Knows. She knows. She's not dead." I say.

"She knows." Nick amends, not turning to look at us.

"You think?" Connor asks.

"Yeah. I know."

***

"No!" Connor's voice echoes far. The detector has led us to a brick wall. "What are we going to do now?" Something Danny said to me not that long ago comes back to me.

_Wall's always going to win, isn't it?_

Not this time.

"It's a wall." I say, "We break through it."

***

**Stephen**

I don't much care that the soldier's annoyed at me. The tiny submarine I'm piloting breaks the surface of the water. I can see four things on the screen. A creature in the water. Nick and a boy, I assume Lucien Hope, are standing, staring at the water. The creature lunges at the submarine. But before the picture cuts out, I see the last thing. I see my niece in the water with the creature. I don't stop to think.

"Give me your gun."

The soldier does so without hesitation.

"Give me your pistol."

Again, he follows my orders. And without a second thought, I jump into the water.

***

**Alex**

I stare at the creature, unmoving. It stares back. I can hear Nick and Lucien, can hear other creatures thumping and flopping towards them. But the creature in front of me stays perfectly still, staring at me. I can't move. I'm doing all I can to just stay afloat, not quite tall enough to stand on the bottom of the pool of water. I hear the water in the other pools moving, hear someone gasping in a breath. Nick's voice,

"Get down!"

And then I hear gunshots, see the bullets sparking over my head. I scream. The creature reacts, lunging towards me. I scream again. I'm suddenly being pulled. As my ears are covered by water, I hear another voice.

"Starlight!"

***

I don't pay attention to my surroundings when the creature drags me through the anomaly. I yell at it and kick it and-

There's a loud roar. I stop. I'm hanging upside down in the creature's grip, the open flannel I'd been wearing over my old Queen shirt flapping around my head, my hair dangling down as my arms hang. There is a multitude of creatures. A rocky coast. I can see lightning, hear thunder crashing in time with the roars of the creatures. I can't see the anomaly. I seize up completely, my breath no longer leaving my body.

_Don't you bloody dare, Alex Hart_

Bloody must have been Captain Ryan's favourite word. I can feel something in the back of my jeans. My gun._ My gun._ I start wriggling. The creature shakes me, as if to tell me off. The shake dislodges my gun and it falls down, down. I catch it. Somehow, miraculously, I catch it. The creature is dead in thirty seconds. I can hear human voices. Abby, Connor. I run towards them without a second thought. The creature rearing up towards Abby is bigger than any of the others. Even from here I can see she's slipping. I catch sight of Nick running towards them.

"Oi! You bastard!" I yell. The creature turns and roars. I roar back. I shoot it twice before I hear, 

"Nick!" Stephen's voice yells. And the creature is being shot at in two directions. It can't decide where to turn. It falls. I let go of the breath I was holding. I feel suddenly wiped. Exhausted. Dead on my feet. And I fall too. I manage to catch myself on the rocks before I land on top of the dead creature. I'm starting to slip. But then I'm pulled up, suddenly and all at once. The person pulls me to them so quickly and so tightly I don't even know who's saved me until I hear their voice.

"Alex. Alex, Starlight. Oh my God. I'm sorry. I'm so so sorry."

***

Later, I sit going through my phone. I notice there's a recording I never took. It's dated the day we found out about the future predators. The day we found out about Stephen and Helen. The day Captain Tom Ryan died. I frown, but I click on it.

_Uh, hi._

I press the pause button immediately. I rewind. I listen to those two words about four more times. It's Ryan. That's Ryan's voice.

_Uh, hi. It's...it's Tom. Ryan. You don't know I've taken your phone yet. But if I come back, you will most certainly beat the shit out of me for stealing it. So when I say goodbye I'm going to put it back in your pocket. I just...honestly, Alex Hart, I don't think I'm going to make it back. I don't think I can do this. Bloody hell, Alex Hart, I'm scared I won't make it back. And I feel like I can tell you that. You're a good friend, Alex Hart. A good mate. Well, actually I...I'm just going to say it. I like you a hell of a lot more than a friend, Alex Hart. I'd like to be more than your friend. And...if I don't make it back, I'm going to miss you. Really miss you. So before I go I'm going to try and ask-_

There's another voice suddenly, shouting his name. And the recording ends.

***

I sneeze four times in a row.

"Jesus, Starlight."

"Sorry. I just-" I pause to sniff and sneeze again, "seem to have spent an awful lot of time in cold water this week."

Stephen throws another blanket at me. It lands on my head, and my words are muffled as I try to speak.

"What was that?" he asks.

"I said, you know how Nick said that anomaly led to the future?"

"Yeah."

"Stephen. If, just if, that was 3000...."

"What?"

"I've been to the year 3000. Not much has changed, but they live underwater." I say, grinning. Stephen sighs.

"God, what am I going to do with you?"

"Never going to give me up? Never going to let me down-"

"Don't you dare RickRoll me, young la-"

"Never going to run around and desert me?"

"No!"


	11. Lost In Time And Space

_Season Two, Episode FIve_ **  
Alex**

"You'll have to contact the builders and close this site down." Nick says as we approach the pipe. I'd stayed at his the night before, which meant I'd come with him and Jenny to the anomaly ahead of the others.

"Sure. I'll just throw some building code violations at them." she nods. I raise my eyebrows, looking her up and down again. She's dressed for her own engagement party, so she doesn't look as authoritative or intimidating as she always does. But whoever chose her dress chose one that showed off her...assets. I'd learned a long time ago that the less skin I covered, the more distracted men were and more willing to do as they were told. Unless, of course, they happened to be gay or ace. Anyway, Jenny's dress is working for her, no matter how much Nick mutters about raptors when he looks at her.

"Back up, back up!" Nick's voice pulls me out of my inner monologue. _Rude._ A dog runs out of the anomaly. _Doggy!_ Dust billows around it as Nick kneels to catch it. He stands and turns, passing the dog to Jenny, who holds it at arms length.

"What am I supposed to do with it?" she asks. Then, a moment later, "It's called Sprat and it lives a few streets away."

"She. It's a she." Nick tells her without turning.

"Well, she is shedding hair all over my new dress."

"I'll take her." I say, pulling the dog from Jenny and holding it close to me. "Hello Sprat. Hello." Sprat licks my nose and I laugh. My laugh is cut short by Nick.

"We have bigger problems that your new dress. The owner could be on the other side"

***

"You took your time!" I call as I walk towards the cars.

"Blame Stephen!" Abby shouts before going round to the other side of her car.

"Oh? Why so late, uncle? Slept in? Canoodling?" I ask as I reach his car.

"None of the above." he tells me.

"Canoodling then. Who is she?"

"Alex."

"You're just digging yourself into a deeper hole, Stephen." I tell him, shaking my head. He turns to Connor.

"What did you say to her, exactly?" he asks Connor. I assume they're talking about Abby. Connor's been head over heels since he met her, which is why I've been so confused about Caroline.

"I think I, uh, I think I said I loved her." Connor says, stumbling over his words.

"You think?" I ask.

"I did say that."

"When was this?"

"Through the anomaly."

"Ah. Life-and-death."

"Yeah. You know, it was a bit chaotic, she might have forgotten." Connor says hopefully. I shake my head.

"Yeah, no, women don't forget things like that." Stephen tells him. They're unloading things from the car while I lean against said car. "She'll be waiting for you to make the next move."

"Really?" Connor asks.

"Yeah."

"Right. So what's that?"

"Well that's up to you. But whatever it is, be confident. Confidence is-"

"Don't say sexy."

"Sexy." Stephen says, ignoring me, and I cringe and groan. It's a weird word to hear your uncle say. "If you love Abby, just tell her." Stephen adds.

"Just tell her." Connor mutters.

"Yep."

There's a beat of silence.

"You wouldn't tell her for me?" Connor asks.

"No." Stephen says.

"No. Andy-"

"Don't bother your arse, you already know what I'm going to say." I tell him.

"Okay. I can be confident anyway." Connor says, half to himself.

"Uh, Sergeant Nerd? Aren't you forgetting someone?" I ask. He looks at me, clearly having no idea what I'm talking about. "Caroline. Your_ girlfriend_, Con?"

"Caroline." he says as realisation dawns. "To be honest with you, I don't think it's working out with her." I share a look with Stephen.

"Mate, she needs to know that." Stephen tells Connor.

"Really?"

"Yep."

"I should tell her. I mean, honesty's important in these things, isn't it?" Connor asks, waiting until Stephen nods before walking away. Stephen stares after him, seemingly lost in thought.

"What's going on in your head?" I ask.

"Nothing." Stephen says, giving his head a little shake.

"Okay...and hey, since when were you the love expert?"

"Excuse me? I have had girlfriends."

"None of which have lasted longer than four months and three weeks." that's the current record for my uncle's girlfriends. "Except Alison." I add._ And Helen._ I think. But I daren't say that.

***

"Um, no." Nick says.

"Uh, yes." I say, shouldering a pack.

"Alex-"

"Last time I let you through an anomaly with other people I lost a good friend. No offence, Nick, but I'm not losing my family."

"Well, I say no."

"Danny says yes." I tell him, showing him my phone.

"Does Danny know what you're doing?" Nick asks.

"So that's one out of three guardians." I say, ignoring his question. Of course Danny doesn't know what I'm really doing. But he always says yes when I have to ask him for permission for something.

"Stephen, tell your niece she isn't stepping foot through that anomaly." Nick says without looking away from me. I stare at him, refusing to back down.

"Well...we could use her skills." Stephen admits.

"They're your skills!" Nick exclaims.

"She can at least make sure neither of us deviates." Stephen says, which I know is a jab at Nick. I can feel their glares icing my head. So I let out a little laugh and say,

"Please. I'm the one that deviates."

***

Nick, Stephen and I hike up the sand dunes, looking for the little girl. 

"Have you got a headache?" Nick asks. 

"Yep." Stephen and I say together. 

"It's like being at altitude." Nick says. 

"There's no oxygen." I add. 

"Maybe that's why the kid hasn't moved." Stephen suggests. We stop as Nick takes out his binoculars. He passes them to me. I find the girl easily enough. I lower them, tilting my head. 

"Can you hear something?" I ask. The three of us turn. There are what look like centipedes, but really big. They're scuttling between us in a line. We turn again and carry on in the girl's direction. Something doesn't feel right. It was as if the centipedes were running away from something. I shake it off, putting the thought down to the lack of oxygen.

***

As we go over another dune, I see some things scattered on the ground below us. 

"What's that?" Nick asks as we hurry down the dune. They're human things. Guns, goggles, backpacks like ours. I pick up a backpack while Nick crouches next to a pair of goggles. Stephen picks up one of the guns. 

"Heckler and Koch G36." he says. "This isn't army issue, this is a classic mercenary's gun." he continues as I look through the pack in my hands. 

"Hard drive, night vision." Nick states, speaking about the goggles. "This is serious stuff." 

"Water bottles, handguns. No oxygen tanks." I tell them as I rummage through the pack. I take one of the guns before taking my pack off my shoulder to shove the water bottles in. 

"He's here." Nick mutters. Stephen and I stand, stepping closer to Nick. 

"Who is?" Stephen asks. _Does Nick mean the cleaner?_ I wonder. 

"There's no footprints leading away. They've left their water. They've just disappeared." Nick says as he stands. He slips the goggles on. Stephen and I just look at each other, him confused and me concerned. 

"They didn't know where they were coming. When they were coming. They didn't have any oxygen, just water and weapons." I pick something up from the sand as I speak. "And this." It's an animal control pole. I realise something. "They were after the creatures." I breathe. I look at Stephen. He had come to the same conclusion. He shakes his head. 

"I shouldn't have let you come, Alex." 

"It was my decision."

"No, it wasn't."

Nick tears the goggles off. "They're all dead." he tells us. I grab my uncle's hand as he speaks to Nick. I'm a little frightened now. Connor had said here was relatively safe. 

"You're not surprised by any of this, are you? What do you know?" Stephen asks as Nick takes his jacket off, throwing it to the ground. 

"I don't know anything." Nick answers. 

"Cutter." Stephen warns. "There's a traitor on the team." Nick is on the ground, stuffing things into one of the abandoned packs. 

"Maybe."

"It's Lester." I look up at my uncle. Why does he think that? I know he doesn't like Lester, but thinking he's a traitor? I wonder if this is about the spyware Connor had found on the ADD. Lester already has immediate access to all that information. 

"It's someone." Nick corrects. He stands, moving around, picking things up. 

"They're playing us. They have been since the beginning." Stephen tells him. 

"I don't know that and neither do you. You're scaring Alex, Stephen. Calm down." 

Stephen looks at me. Nick's right, Stephen is scaring me, but so is he. Stephen squeezes my hand once before letting it go, crouching next to Nick. 

"Fine. You admitted you don't know. But rather than sharing it with us, you shut us out and we'll never be a team." Nick claps a hand on Stephen's shoulder. 

"You sound like Helen. We don't have time for this, we've got to get going."

***

"Your welcome." the girl says, hands on hips. I almost laugh.

"Are you okay?" Nick asks as we sit either side of her. He's pulled out an oxygen tank. He passes her the mask. I can see her look of suspicion.

"It's alright. It's just oxygen. It'll make you feel better." I tell her. She takes the mask and I hold up a hand for the water bottle Stephen has.

"That's better." the girl says, giving the mask back to Nick as I hand her the water bottle.

"Now, we've got to get you out of here." Nick tells her.

"You're going to rescue me?"

"Yeah. You got any objections?"

The girl gives me the water bottle. "I was planning my own way back. But now you've gone and messed it up by making those things angry."

"She's fine. Doesn't need any help." Nick says, and Stephen shakes his head as he screws the lid back onto the bottle. I know what they're doing. They used to use this trick on me. I can almost predict what she is going to say next.

"You can tag along with me, if you want."

There it is.

"Thanks." I say. "What are those things? Do you know?" I ask. They looked like giant scorpions to me, but I might as well ask.

"Dunno. But they're pretty horrible, they killed the soldiers."

"You saw that?" Stephen asks.

"Heard it mostly. All I know is that they come if you walk on the sand."

"They must sense the vibrations." Nick tells her.

"Well, we're going to have to go the long way round. If we stick to the rocks we can get close enough to the anomaly." Stephen says.

"What's wrong with your leg?" I ask, noticing the girl fiddling with it.

"Twisted it. I made it to the rocks but they ate my dog." she tells me.

"No they didn't, Sprat's fine, she's alive." I tell her.

"Cool. Oh. She left me behind then. That's cold."

"Let me have a look at your leg." Nick says, and the girl lets him take her ankle.

"Can't walk on that." Stephen says, stating the obvious.

"Duh. Why do you think I've been sat here?" the girl asks. I can't stop the laugh that escapes me. She pulls her leg away from Nick and turns on the rock.

"Well then I'm going to have to carry you." Stephen says.

"No way." she says before standing up.

"What's your name anyway?" Nick asks.

"Taylor. And I ain't baggage. No one has to carry me."

Nick and I look at Stephen.

"She ain't baggage." we tell him together.

"Taylor ain't baggage." he mutters before all three of us follow her down the rocks.

***

The anomaly's gone. It's gone. We're trapped here. I land heavily on the rocks.

"What happened? When are we going back?" Taylor asks. None of us say anything. There aren't any words.

_Looks like I'll be seeing you sooner than I thought, Tom Ryan._

***

We're like a chain, me holding onto Taylor, Stephen holding onto me. The sandstorm's passed. Nick's found the detector.

"Remind me to tell Connor he did a good job on these things." Nick says.

"Which way?" I ask. Taylor's leg won't hold out for long. But then all four of us freeze.

"I'll take that."

"It's the cleaner." I breathe.

"I thought it might be you." Nick says. So it's true. It's all true.

"There's only one ticket out of here. And I'm taking it." the cleaner says. Nick throws the anomaly detector to his feet. "And the water." Nick pulls out a bottle. "Nah, nah. All of it." Nick throws the whole water bag to him. We won't survive without water.

"Without water we'll be dead in a couple of hours." Nick calls to the cleaner.

"Tough break."

Nick starts to walk down the rock as the cleaner walks away.

"Come on. Take us with you." they keep walking. Vibrations, I remember. He's trying to attract the scorpions. "At least take the girls. At least leave us some water." the cleaner fires his gun around Nick's feet. Stephen moves to take a step forward, but I'm still holding his hand and I don't let him move. Nick's got a plan.

"You follow me, I'll shoot you." the cleaner warns. Nick steps forward again, and the cleaner fires again.

"We're dead anyway." he says.

"I'm warning you."

I can see the trail of the scorpion under the sand now.

"You think I'm scared of you?" Nick asks.

"Should be." the cleaner says before a scorpion tendril wraps itself around his legs. I push Taylor behind me. She doesn't have to watch someone die. "Help me!" the cleaner yells.

"Tough break." Nick says as he walks towards him. He picks up the gun and fires it at the ground. I've got hold of Taylor with both hands. Stephen runs down the rock and slides to his knees in front of the cleaner.

"Stephen!"

He ignores me.

"Who sent you? It was Lester, wasn't it?" he asks.

"Stephen! Nick!" I'm almost screaming. I can see that other scorpions are coming. I can't hear what the cleaner says. I want to run out and drag my uncle and my godfather back, but I can't leave Taylor. I pull her to me as the cleaner is sucked into the ground. Stephen picks up the anomaly detector, Nick the water pack.

***

"We've got no choice, but if we tread lightly we should be okay." Nick tells us. We've had to start walking across an expanse of sand. There isn't any rocks around. "According to this, the anomaly should be over the crescent of the dune." there is ten seconds between these words and when Taylor falls. She's still holding my hand, so I topple too. Stephen and Nick freeze as if we're Sally Sparrow and they're Weeping Angels.

_Shit. Fuck. Bollocks._

I can see the scorpion coming towards us.

_Stay still. Stay the fuck still and maybe it'll go past._

It doesn't go past. It takes Stephen. I scream without thinking. I'm torn between him and Taylor. She screams too. She's standing, running to him. All I can manage is crawl. Nick has already latched onto his arm. Stephen's other arm is already buried in the sand, so I grab onto the one Nick is holding onto.

"It's got me." I hear him mutter. And then he's suddenly gone. Nick starts digging in the sand. I start crying, wailing. Taylor stays still for a moment. Then she starts to jump around us in circles, yelling,

"Let him go!"

"No! Stand still, stay still!" Nick shouts.

"Taylor! Taylor, he's gone." I force out, managing to grab her arm to stop her. "He's gone." I'm too late. A scorpion is already rearing out of the sand. And it's holding Stephen. Nick pulls Taylor to him, a hand shooting out and grabbing my sleeve. Another scorpion rises from the sand behind us. It crawls right over us and attacks the one holding Stephen. He's dropped to the ground. "Stephen. Stephen!" Nick can't stop me as I get to my feet. Stephen and I crash into each other. "Never do that again." I tell him.

"Course not." he tells me. He promises.

"Take her." Nick says, pushing Taylor towards us as we break apart.

"Come on!" Stephen shouts to him.

"I need the bag!" Nick shouts back.

"What? Nick, come on!" I yell.

"Ditch the bag!" Stephen yells as Nick stumbles. "Get out of there!" Stephen starts to pull me and Taylor away.

"No! Stephen, no!"

"You're not going to die here, Starlight."

As I try to run, I'm hauled off my feet.

"No!"

"Taylor, get in there." Stephen orders. An old scorpion shell lies at the top of the dune. I can see the anomaly at the bottom. I get dropped in behind her. "Sit on Alex."

"What?"

"Do it!"

He knows I won't try and get away if it means there's a chance of not getting Taylor home. She does as she's told, crawling on top of me and winding her arms around my neck. I cling to the sides of the shell as Nick appears on one side, Stephen on the other, and they start to push us down the dune. For a second, I think they're going to leave us, but then they jump into the shell either side of me. We have to run the final few feet through the anomaly.

"Are we going home now?" Taylor asks.

"We're going somewhere." Nick tells her.

"Somewhen!" I correct. We land in a forest.

"Well we're not at home, but at least there's no sand." Nick says.

"Any guesses where we are?" Stephen asks.

"Air's fine, and it looks like the woods at home so..."

"It's got to be within the last few thousand years." Nick finishes my sentence for me.

"Hey look!" Taylor turns sharply and runs to a thin plume of smoke. It's coming from a dying fire. There's a tent made of branches and painted skins.

"Middle Paleolithic." Nick states. I look at him, suddenly afraid. "Stephen, we've got to get away from here." Nick adds. I hear footsteps.

"Too late." I mutter as I turn. I automatically move in front of Taylor as Stephen pulls her to him. A caveman is walking around us, a spear in his hand. I do the natural thing. I punch him.

"That don't look right." Stephen says, moving to stand beside me.

"Didn't think cavemen wore pants." Taylor mumbles. I clamp a hand over her eyes, which she immediately tries to pull away.

"I think you just punched an actor, Alex." Nick says.

"I think I did."

"Cutter?" a voice calls.

"That's Connor." I realise aloud. "Connor, Sergeant Nerd, do you read me?" I shout.

"Loud and clear, Commander!" he calls back. He and Abby run into view.

"I knew you'd make it back." Abby says, smiling.

"It is really, really good to see you guys." Connor tells us.

"Yeah. A few basic plants. Some bugs." Stephen says pointedly.

"What?" Connor asks innocently. The silence stretches on a bit too long. I sling an arm over Taylor's shoulders.

"Well, I could use a hot chocolate. What about you?"

***

"Where were you exactly?" Danny asks, handing me the jar of marshmallows. I look at Stephen.

"The beach." he says.

"You've turned your flat into a ruddy beach, the amount of sand you've taken in." Danny says before standing. "Well, I'm off."

"I'll see you next week!" I call as he leaves. I pad into the bathroom. I really, really need a bath. I frown. "Uh, Stephen?"

"Yes?"

"Why has my towel been used?" I asked, walking back into the kitchen. Stephen is standing stiffly upright, facing away from me.

"Has it?" he asks, a little too casually.

"Well I haven't used it, I was leaving my shower till after work today." I tell him.

"I didn't use it." he shrugs, but he still doesn't turn to look at me.

"Then who did? Stephen?"I ask, and he turn.

"Look, Helen was here."

"Helen?"

"Yes."

"Helen was here? You let her in?" I ask. My towel is dropped to the floor. I never want to touch it again.

"Yes. Listen, she told me that Lester's betraying us. He's working against us."

"She told you that?"

"Well, not exactly but-"

"Actually, don't tell me. I don't want to hear it." I tell him, picking up my keys.

"Alex-"

"You're being an idiot, Stephen. You know she doesn't give a shit about any of us. She never has."

"Starl-"

"Don't. Just don't."


	12. Somebody That I Used To Know

_Series Two Episode Six_ **   
** **Alex**

"We have to tell Cutter." Abby says, pushing the weight in her hands back up as Connor scoots about on his skateboard.

"But Caroline hated Rex." Connor points out.

"That's why she took him, Connor." I explain flatly. "Thought you were meant to be the smart one."

"Huh." Abby manages to laugh before saying, "And to get you back for dumping her. By text. Why hasn't she given him back?"

"Maybe she's so crazy about me that she's going to hold him hostage until I get back together with her." Connor suggests.

"Exactly how many braincells have you lost since yesterday?" I ask.

"Okay, maybe not." Connor says, tipping his head forward to look down at Abby. "Just don't tell Cutter yet. I'll get him back, I promise."

"Hey." I jump at the sudden voice, but it's just Stephen. He's holding a mug out to me. Hang on, I'm angry at Stephen. But it is hot chocolate...so I take it. "So what's this secret meeting all about?" he asks.

"I dunno, it's a secret, innit?" Connor says.

"And that, ladies and gentlemen is an eloquent speech from one of our nation's greatest minds." I say in a monotone. Stephen laughs, no one else does. He only laughs because he's trying to be nice to me. Connor doesn't laugh because Abby had handed him the weight she'd been using, and he is struggling to hold it. I put down my mug, take it off him and carry it back to its rack.

"He just told us to meet him here." Abby tells Stephen.

"I wanted it to be somewhere we wouldn't be overheard." we watch as Nick crouches to turn up Abby's music.

"Wow. Advanced paranoia or what?" Connor mutters.

"A necessary precaution." Nick tells him. "Come here." he waits until we're all shoulder to shoulder around him before continuing, "Now, someone's working against us. Someone who has access to the detector and probably the person who stole the headset from the Silurian." Nick says the words quietly, and I start to agree with Connor. Nick's going a bit overboard.

"Someone?" Stephen says, and I remember that he suspects Lester because of Helen. I also remember that Nick knows that Stephen suspects Lester, but he doesn't know why. He still doesn't know Helen's back.

"Okay, I know that we all have our own ideas about who that might be but this time we have to find out for sure." Nick says.

"Okay, so how do we do that?" Stephen asks. But before Nick can answer, the anomaly alarm starts to blare.

"Yes! Let's go!" I say, turning to grab a jacket as I grin.

"You get way too excited about these." Stephen tells me, shaking his head.

"Well, you know, raised by four of the most reckless people on this planet, bound to rub off on me somehow." I shrug before darting out of the room.

***

"My worst nightmare in one sentence!" Lester shouts.

"Mammoth on the M25." Jenny gasps, putting her phone to her ear.

"A Colombian Mammoth." Nick corrects.

"The flavour is immaterial." Lester tells him. I bounce upwards and cling to the railing, about to speak when Leek beats me to it.

"Colombian is a hairless species, sir." as he speaks, I swing myself up and over the railing to catch up with the three of them as Lester says,

"Look, I don't care if it's shaved its legs and got a bikini wax, it's on a motorway in broad daylight!"

"But Lester!" I say, running to be in front of him and walking backwards so I can face him. "Lester, it's a mammoth! A real mammoth!" I sound like a six year old on her birthday but I don't care._ A real live mammoth._ Lester reaches out a hand and pats my shoulder.

"Yes, yes, that's very nice, Alex, now off you go and fetch it." he says. I squeal and start bouncing again.

"Alex. Get down here." Stephen's voice is snappy and unhappy, and my smile falls. "Now." he adds forcefully. I turn and stalk down the slope. I don't bother to look at him, I just leave the ops room altogether.

***

"Oh my God." I scramble on top of the car, stand on top of it to get a better look. "Oh my God." I say again.

"Oh you beauty." Nick breathes. "It's the biggest elephant that ever lived. They were still running around North America until about eight thousand years ago." his words transport me back in time. Back into a memory I didn't think I had any more. 

I don't even remember how old I am, just that I am very small, sitting on Nick's shoulders as he walks around a hall full of stuffed animals. I'm too small to read the plaques that tell me about them. I point at a baby elephant and Nick tells me what species it is and how old it must be, judging by its size. He tells me about every creature in the room and then walks over to a tall striped pole in the corner.

"What is it?" I ask, my voice tiny as I look up at it. I see pictures of elephants at various points.

"It's a mammoth height chart." he tells me.

"The woolly ones?" I ask, giggling. "They were very, very, very big!"

"Well, actually, the biggest one wasn't woolly at all. The tallest mammoth was hairless."

"It must have been cold." I say, frowning, remembering that mammoths were around during the Ice Age. I'd watched a whole movie about mammoths in the ice age just last week.

"I don't think it was. It was called the Columbian mammoth."

"Colum-bean." I try and say the name myself, but I struggle. Nick laughs.

"Close enough, Princess."

Abby's voice brings me back to the present,

"He's a herd animal. It can't smell its mates."

It's then that I hear a woman screaming for help, banging her steering wheel with her hands. She's seen us, she's trying to get our attention. But it's not only our attention she's caught. I slide down from the top of the car to land next to Nick.

"We've got to get her out." Connor says.

"If we go near her it'll make things worse." Nick tells him.

"She's making too much noise, it's making the mammoth go ballistic." I say, "She needs to shut up before we can get her out."

"Get Jenny to put you through to the Highways Agency. Tell them we've got an urgent message." Nick says.

"I'm on it." Connor tells him before running off. Abby fills the now-empty space at Nick's side, holding her gun.

"No, we're going to need more fire power." Nick tells her.

"Where the hell is Stephen?" I ask.

***

"Tactful." Nick says as Connor's message appears on the board. 'Shut up.' With two exclamation marks.

"It's was Andy said, isn't it?" Connor says, and I poke him. But it works, the woman stops yelling.

"Nick, we can't wait much longer, she could be injured. And there's a kid." I say.

"I know." he replies.

"What are you going to do?" Connor asks.

"This." I take off running at the same time Nick does. I'm faster, less cautious. I get there first.

"Can you move?" I ask her.

"I'm trapped. Please help Jake." she tells me. I just nod and go to the back of her car where her son is. I crawl in and help him undo his seatbelt.

"My mum!" he protests.

"It's okay." I tell him, turning my head to see Nick with the mother. He looks at me.

"Go. Take him with you." he tells me before looking at the mother. "It's alright, your boy will be safe with her." I push the door open and Jake clambers out. I follow, even as he protests. I pick him up, and his little arms go around my neck automatically.

"It's alright, little man. Your mum's going to be just fine." I tell him. I follow Abby and Connor as fast as I can.

"What's going on?" he asks.

"We have to get the mammoth back through the anomaly somehow!" Abby shouts to Connor. "I have an idea." she adds before turning to me. "Look after the boys, will you?" she runs off before I can answer.

"Uh, Andy, what do we do about Dumbo?" Connor asks, pointing at the mammoth.

"We distract it until Abby comes back." I tell him.

"How?" he asks. I look at Jake.

"Any ideas, wee man?" I ask.

"Nu-uh." he answers.

"Yeah, me neither. Sergeant Nerd?"

"Sorry, Commander. I got nothing." Connor shrugs.

"Brilliant." I sigh.

***

Connor's giving Jake a piggy-back when we see them. Helen is staring at me. Stephen is avoiding my eyes.

"Alex, with me." Nick mutters before walking forwards. I follow him without really listening. I didn't think...I hadn't imagined... "So where the hell were you?"

_I should think that's fairly obvious, Nick. He was with Helen. Again._

"We could have been killed." Nick adds.

"You weren't." Stephen says.

"Yeah, and I was in that ambulance for fun." I snap. I'd only scratched my arm, but I say it for the sudden guilt that darkens Stephen's face. Any of us could have died. People did die. If he had been here, that might not have happened.

"Are you just going to ignore me, Nick?" Helen asks.

"Is she with you?" Nick asks Stephen.

"Not in the way you think." Stephen answers.

"But you've been seeing her. You can't deny that, I know that." I spit out.

"Look, this is important."

"Not important enough to tell us about before?"

"Alex, darling, the adults are talking." Helen tells me. Nick ignores this exchange.

"You're fired." he mutters to Stephen before walking past him. My uncle looks desperately to me before running after Nick shouting,

"She can help us!"

I ignore Helen, listening to my father figures arguing.

"If you think Helen's here to help, you're madder than she is."

"Just listen to me!"

"Are you still in love with her? Is that why you trust her?" Nick asks. There's silence before he speaks again. "You know what, I don't care. Do what you want." he turns and walks away as Helen pushes herself off the car to walk towards my uncle. I feel a small hand tugging at mine.

"Andy. Help us find his mum." I hear Connor say. I turn and pick Jake up again, forcing a smile onto my face.

"Alright, wee man. We'll check the ambulance first, will we?"

"Look, Starlight-" my uncle's come back. I don't listen to him. I block him out and walk straight past him. He tries to grab my arm. 

"Let me go if you want to keep your teeth in your head." I warn him.

"Starli-"

"I said let go." He does. I plaster on a smile again as Jake frowns, confused.

"It's okay." I tell him, "It's just a silly man."

***

I stand beside one of the day workers, going through photographs of mammoths when I hear Stephen's voice.

"We don't have the right to decide what people should know."

"Whatever argument you may have had lost all credibility when you hooked up with Helen." I wonder if I'm the only one who notices the wobble in Nick's voice as he says it.

"She predicted this." Stephen says quietly. "Said that you wouldn't listen." I turn then, putting the photographs down.

"Watch it, Stephen." I warn him.

"She said you wouldn't listen to me either. She said you would take his side. And you have. When he's too arrogant to face reality."

"She told you that too? That he's arrogant?" I ask.

"Reality? You have no idea what that word even means anymore." Nick says. He hasn't turned to face Stephen yet. I stand a few steps away from them, worried and angry. Stephen moves so that Nick has no choice but to look up at him. "The world changed. We can't protect anyone until we know why the anomalies appear and what they mean."

"It's always your way or nothing." Stephen says, shaking his head.

"But he's right. Think, Stephen. How is the press going to react if we tell them there are dangerous time portals we know next to nothing about?" I ask, stepping closer. But I think I already know he isn't going to see reason. The best I can do now is make sure they don't hurt each other. And make sure I don't lose my temper.

"You shut up! You have no idea what this means!" Stephen tells me, voice loud. And there goes my temper.

"No, you shut up! You don't know what this means! You don't seem to understand that the best way to protect people is to keep them oblivious. At least until we know how to help!"

"Alex, you stay out of this, you're a child."

"A child?" I scoff. "A child you raised, Stephen. A child you're responsible for. I am not a child. Right now I'm more of an adult than you are. You're the one throwing a tantrum because we won't listen to your girlfriend. You're the one throwing everything away for a woman who isn't yours! You're the one listening to a manipulative, cheating bitch rather than your own family!" I shout the last words. Out of the corner of my eye I see heads turning in the ops room. I can just see Lester on the observation deck, watching us. I don't care. Stephen looks momentarily shocked. Then he shakes his head and blanks me, looking at Nick instead. "No wonder she turned to me."

_Fuck_

That's it for Nick. He'd been heading to the door, but now he turns. I don't get there quickly enough to stop him. He punches my uncle, sending him to the floor. He walks out as Stephen stands and mutters,

"That's made everything simple."

He goes for the door too, but I say his name and he stops. I walk towards him and something in his eyes softens. But then he is reeling back in pain again as I raise my hand and slap him across the face.

"Get out." I tell him. My voice is cold and sharp. I've never spoken to him like this before. I've never hit him before. I leave the room and see Leek standing by the door to the ops room.

"Alexandra-"

"Not now, Leek."

It's not until I reach the ADD that I realise I'm crying.

***

"I thought a dramatic setting might be appropriate." Connor says. I think he may have gone a little overboard with 'dramatic.' We're in a church, all four of us sitting on the floor and leaning against the front pews.

"Why, were you hoping for divine intervention?" Nick asks.

"You better pray Caroline doesn't hurt Rex." Abby whispers, but not quite quietly enough.

"Why does Caroline know about Rex?" Nick asks. I answer so Abby and Connor don't have to.

"Connor split up with her, by text, may I add, so she's nicked him." I tell him. Nick frowns for a moment before asking,

"What kind of girl steals your lizard when you split up?"

Abby smiles and Connor speaks.

"Um...she doesn't actually know how unusual he is." he says.

"Well, what if she gives him to someone who does?" Nick asks.

"You're right."

"Yeah, so get him back."

"Okay." Connor mumbles awkwardly before looking at his watch. "Should be any minute now."

"Can someone tell me why we're here?" Abby asks.

"I second that." I say, raising a hand.

"Connor reset the anomaly detector. A false alarm went off exactly fifteen minutes ago." Nick tells us. 

"There hasn't been an alarm." I tell him, showing him my handheld detector.

"That's because it was diverted first to the person who's been sabotaging the detector." he explains.

"They'll be coming here, right now, expecting an anomaly." Connor whispers.

"Next person through the door's our traitor." Nick adds.

***

Connor and Abby are singing something from a hymn book Connor found. Nick looks like he's just about done with life, and I can't say I don't blame him. We've been here so long my back end's practically gone numb. Just as Abby and Connor start their next verse, we hear the door of the church open._ Finally. If this had been a real anomaly someone could have been badly injured. Or dead. _None of the soldiers see us as we peek over the top of the pew. None of them see Connor taking photographs of our traitor. Jenny.

"It's Jenny." Connor whispers. It can't be Jenny. None of us had suspected Jenny for a moment. But then I remember the office block, the worms. I remember how willing she was to leave me and Stephen behind. I hear her voice.

"So where is it then?"

Nick's already on his feet and marching towards her.

"You..." he starts.

"Where's the anomaly?" Jenny asks.

"There isn't one." Nick is angry, very angry. I force myself onto my feet to follow him.

"Then why are we here?" Jenny asks. 

"That's a good question. I give you ten seconds to answer it."

"I knew you were odd, but this is extreme, even by your standards."

"The alarm was false!" he shouts. "The only way you could have known about it is if you created a diversion between the detector and your own computer." I see Nick's hand move.

"Nick don't!" he doesn't hear me. He pulls out his gun.

"Who are you working for?" he asks. My own gun is out as quickly as the soldiers'. "Now, what do you want."

"I don't know what you're talking about." Jenny says, "All I know is I was told to bring as many men as possible to this address to deal with a high priority anomaly."

"Bullshit." he says, stepping forward.

"Nick, she's telling the truth." he doesn't respond. "Or have you decided not to trust me either?" I ask sharply. He turns his head a fraction, sees my gun, and steps back.

"Who told you that?" he asks.

"I'm not very good at talking with a gun in my face so put it down and we'll talk about this rationally!"

"I said, who sent you?" he's walking forwards again as he shouts.

"You're going to get us both killed." I hear Jenny say, her voice quiet. I hear Nick's gun click. I click the safety off my own.

"Nick. Stand down. Stand down!" I'm shouting too now, my gun aimed at him. "Getting yourself killed will do nothing so stand the fuck down!" finally, finally, he takes a step back. But he doesn't moved his gun from Jenny's face.

"Last chance." he tells her.

"Nick!" I shout at the same time as Jenny says,

"Leek. It was Leek who sent me. Leek."

***

"What are you doing?" Abby asks as we join Connor at the ADD.

"Trying to track down Leek. There's got to be a clue in his personal files."

"Obviously know your way around. Hack into him regularly, do you?"

"Oh yeah. You'd be amazed how much Lester gets paid."

"Connor, what are our middle names?" I ask innocently.

"Louise and Sarah." he answers before his typing stops abruptly. "But you guys told me that, right?"

"Nope." Abby and I say together.

"Keep out of my personal information, Connor." Abby tells him. He nods silently before saying,

"Oh look. Got it!" he shouts the last part, and the others walk over to us. "Password." Connor mutters, "Leek." he tries it, but it doesn't work. "Lester." again, a no go. "Predator."_ Access Denied._ "Mother's maiden name, they always use that."

"Murphy." I say at the same time Lester does. Connor and Abby give me strange looks. "What, I do my share of snooping too." I shrug, and Abby punches my arm.

"Anomaly." Nick says from where he's pacing by the van in the middle of the room.

"Way too obvious." Connor tells him.

"Well just try it."

Connor does. And it works.

"We're in!" he says.

"It's a bomb." Nick's voice cuts in. "Everybody get out now."

"What?" Abby asks.

"Get out!"

***

"Are you sure about this? It doesn't look like the kind of place Caroline would hang out in." Abby says.

"Maybe it's some kind of retreat. She was always very, uh, spiritual." Connor says.

"Or maybe you just messed up." I say, looking at the derelict building.

"No, this is the place." Connor tells me. I look at Jenny in time to see her rolling her eyes. Soon enough, we find Caroline's bag. Her phone is inside. But she's nowhere to be found.

"Where is she?" I ask.

"Dunno." Connor answers.

"We should find her." Abby says.

"Thought you didn't like her?" Connor says.

"I'm a decent human being, Connor." Abby tells him, sighing.

"And she might still have Rex with her." I add. "We should look."

"She might be hurt." Jenny says.

"Come on then." Nick says, already walking off. About five minutes later, we push open a door, walk in and freeze. Soldiers surround us. Leek stands before us.

"I wondered who was going to come. And I was hoping it was going to be you." he says. A soldier knocks Nick unconscious suddenly with the butt of his gun. My gun is out in a second.

"Leek, you bastard! You slimy traitor!"

"Ah, I do like the feisty ones." he says before signalling something to a soldier. I dodge, but my gun is grabbed off me and something hard slams into my head. And all goes black.

***

I hear Helen talking. She's been helping Leek, this was her. What has she done with Stephen? He can't have known about this, he can't have. My thoughts are running away with me, the dull pain in my head becoming sharper every second. The lights in the room switch on suddenly, all at once. 

I can't believe what I'm seeing. Yellow rectangular arches, red lasers. And creatures. Creatures, creatures. Raptors. The Smilodon Leek himself had told me was dead. A Silurian Scorpion, an Arthropleura. The strange future-seal. I see a pair of Scutosaurus hidden at the back. And in a corner I can see Rex floating around.

Leek has constructed a prison for the creatures. And now we're stuck here too.


	13. Lost Without You

_Season Two, Episode Seven_ **  
Alex**

"Leek, you bastard!" he's only just opened the door and I'm already yelling, "I told Lester not to take you on, I told him-"

"Yes, I was a little worried about your little party trick-"

"It's not a party trick, it's called opening your damn eyes!"

"What a pity he didn't believe you and your little...observation. Such a clever girl. Such a clever, clever girl."

"Fuck you."

"When?"

I'm too shocked and disgusted to say anything. I've punched him before I can think.

"You slimy, perverted-"

"Andy, Andy. Come on, come here." Connor starts, grabbing my wrist and pulling me backwards. A guard's aimed his gun at me as Leek dabs at his now bleeding nose. I hope I've broken it. Another guard shoves a girl into the room. "Caroline." Connor's let go of my wrist. I want to punch Leek again but Abby's already got my hand. She's staring at Caroline. "You leave her out of it, she's got nothing to do with this." Connor tells Leek. But Leek just smiles. "What?" Connor asks.

"For someone really smart, you can be amazingly thick sometimes." Abby tells him.

"All men are thick." I spit.

"I mean, you're not wrong." Abby shrugs. Realisation dawns on Connor's face as he looks at Caroline. His girlfriend. She avoids his gaze, choosing to stare at the floor instead. I haven't seen her before. But I can tell that right now, she's feeling incredibly guilty. And judging by the look on Leek's face, Connor never had a real girlfriend in the first place.

"A girl like Caroline falling for a shambling, adolescent mess like you." Leek says, "No. I don't think so. I paid her to pick you up. You see, people like me and you, we don't get the pretty girls, Connor." Leek looks at me as he speaks. I'm not sure what I want to do more, murder him or vomit. I've decided to vomit on him and then murder him when he looks at Connor again. "We're the nerds. The losers. The uncool."

"Speak for yourself." Connor says, surprising both me and Abby. "I do alright with women. What? I do. I'm just...choosy." Okay. That? That's making me want to laugh. And then murder Leek.

"Where's Rex?" Abby asks.

"Who cares?" Caroline asks. Bad move. Abby walks over to her and puts a hand to Caroline's throat.

"I do. Now tell me." Abby says. But then Caroline pushes Abby away from her, pulling her cardigan off. "I'm going to enjoy this, Caroline."

"I don't want to hurt you, Abby."

"Don't flatter yourself."

I move to take a step forward, to help Abby, but my wrist is suddenly grabbed.

"Ah, ah, Alexandra. You're going to stay right here." Leek. He's pulled me so I'm standing beside him. "Now, your godmother's told me about lots of your tricks. Such a talented girl." he's too close, moving closer.

"Let me go."

"No, I don't think I will."

"You've got to stop this." Connor says. Abby and Caroline are fighting now.

"Why? I think it's very entertaining." Leek says.

"Connor." he looks at me as I say it. His eyes drop to my hand, to my wrist.

"Leek, let her go."

"No."

"Let her go."

"Connor, help Abby. I'm fine."

"Andy-"

"Help Abby." I tell him. After a moment, Connor nods and steps forward.

"Guys, could we just-" Abby isn't even looking at him, but her fist flies into his nose before he can say anything else. Connor walks back over to us, holding his nose. This reminds me that I've already made Leek bleed. I can do it again. He's holding my wrist so close to himself that if I move quickly enough...my elbow sinks into his side and as my arm turns to do it, I effectively twist his wrist, which means I break free. I punch him again, full in the face.

"Touch me again and I will break you."

***

I'm dragged into a room, a hand wrapped around my elbow. Not Leek's. His guard's. I'd kicked Leek when he'd tried to grab me. Helen and Nick are in the room I've been dragged into.

"What's he doing here?" Leek asks.

"I invited him. What happened to you?" Helen asks. His nose is bleeding, and there are two red marks on his face, one on his temple and the other over a cheekbone.

"Your goddaughter." Leek answers sharply.

"I told you..." Helen says, shaking her head a little.

"Never mind. I wanted both of them to see this anyway." Leek says. His guard shoves me towards Nick and Helen as Leek walks over to a group of screens. "Give away our location and your friends die."

_Is it Cutter?_

Lester's face is on every screen.

"I'm afraid not." Leek answers, "But Cutter is here with me and so are the others. They're fine for now."

_It's only a matter of time until we track you down, Leek. If you don't release them _ _immedital_ _-_

"Listen to me. An hour ago I released a Silurian era scorpion into a well-known holiday resort. I can tell from your face it's already had an impact. I've positioned another dozen creatures in similar locations."

_Go on._

"Call off the search or I will let them go one by one."

_What is it you really want, Leek? Is it money? And oh, who hit you?_

"I'll be in touch."

_It was Alex, wasn't it. Good girl._

"Goodby-"

_Hang on, what about the scorpion?_

"That's your problem."

"Money. Money? This is what it's all about?" Nick asks angrily.

"No, of course it's not. He's been learning about the anomalies. He's gaining all the knowledge he can get. Knowledge equals power." I say.

"Ah, so clever, Alexandra. Yes. In the future, money will not mean much. But knowledge and power will. I intend to be very, very powerful." Leek says.

"You knew, you knew all this and yet you still helped him." Nick says, turning to Helen.

"I need the right environment to conduct my research." Helen shrugs. I hear beeps, alarms, the clicking of keys. Leek. I spin and look at the screens. Abby, Connor, Jenny, Caroline.

"I underestimated you, Oliver, you're a lot smarter than I gave you credit for." Nick says.

"I knew it. I knew something was wrong about you and I told Lester-"

"Yes, Alexandra, I know. Now please be quiet. You're a very pretty girl but you really need to learn to keep your mouth shut when I tell you to."

"Like hell I'll obey you." I hiss. Leek sighs before turning his head to look at me.

"See, there was an occasion where you were meant to be quiet." he tells me. I hear a shout from Nick, but I don't turn quickly enough to avoid the guard. All goes black again.

***

Everything is fuzzy. I'm lying on my front. When I try and push myself up I feel something sharp on my shoulder. It pushes me back down, painfully.

"Darling Alex. What have you done? Distracting Leek like that. Telling your uncle all those lies, trying to turn him against me. How could you do that? You were meant to help me. You were going to be my little sidekick darling."

The voice is quiet and soft. Caring. But she doesn't care. I know that now. She never cared about me. I try and push myself up again, but again something sharp is on my shoulder. In my shoulder. It's cutting into me. 

"No." the word is heavy and unclear. My head feels blurry. I can't really see anything. The guard must have hit me hard. But...but where's everyone else? Where's Nick? Abby, Connor, Jenny? What's happened to Stephen?

Questions are chased from my mind by screams.

It takes me a moment to realised that the screams are coming from me. And that they are because of the sudden and unbearable pain I'm feeling in my shoulders, spreading over them and onto my back in swirls of burning pain. Helen says something, but I can't hear anything.

Everything's fading. Everything but the pain. The pain is all there is. And then there is nothing.

***

**Stephen**

I'm still on the beach when my phone rings.

"Where have you been?" I ask.

_Stephen, listen, there isn't much time. Lester kidnapped me. I got away but I need you to come and get me._

"Kidnapped?"

_Nick and the others are dead._

I land on my knees in the sand.

_Lester had them killed._

"Alex. Where's Alex, wha...what's happened?"

_She's dead, Stephen. She's gone._

"No. No, where is she? Tell me where she is."

_I'm sorry, Stephen. She's dead._

The phones drops from my ear. She can't be gone. She can't be. But...but...if she is...

It's all my fault.

I can hear Helen's voice still coming through my phone. I force myself to lift it back up to my ear.

_Lester's going to call you, whatever he says, it's a trap. I'm going to tell you where I am and then I want you to throw your mobile away, they can trace you with it._

I listen as she gives me the address. But my mind is full of Alex. She was my responsibility. Everything I had. All that was left of my brother. And she's gone.

***

"You said he was dead." I'm looking at Nick as I say it. "What have you done?"

"Not you too. Don't tell me you knew about this." he says.

"Oh, I have never seen this place in my life! Where's Alex?"

"I told you the truth, Lester brought me here!" Helen shouts.

"You ask her, ask her about what she really wanted to do. Go on, ask her about Leek, ask her about how many people were going to die." Nick tells me.

"He's trying to trick you." Helen says.

"I so badly wanted to believe in you. But that doesn't put you in the right!" I shout the last part, pointing at Nick. He stands to shout back,

"Stephen, there's a whole army of predators in here. If any of them make it above ground, they're going to be nobody left. Now if you want to help people, we have to do this!"

"They're too powerful, Nick!" Helen shouts. "Nothing you can do."

"Well you're going to have to think of something or we're all going to die. Now, you brought them here, you know them." Nick says.

"The siren." Helen says after a long moment of silence. "The creatures associate the sound with food. They'll come back to the cage room whenever it sounds."

"If we can lock them in with the predators they'll destroy each other." Nick says, making his way over to be on the same side as us. "Come on then." they start to walk off.

"Hang on. I'm not going anywhere until I know the truth." I say, and they both turn back to me.

"What are you talking about now?" Nick asks. Helen doesn't look at me. She already knows what I'm going to ask.

"What happened to Alex?" I ask.

"I told the trut-"

"You said that about him being dead!" I shout. She at least has the decency to look at the ground, seemingly out of guilt. But then she lifts her head to look at me. Nick's watching her, unsure of what's going on.

"I did tell the truth about her, Stephen. She's dead. One of the soldiers killed her, I saw it happen. But I couldn't stop it. I wish I could have. I'm sorry I have to tell you this. But she is really gone."

Everything seems to slow down. I'm vaguely aware of Nick's mouth falling open, his face suddenly devastated. I barely notice the sting of unshed tears. She's gone. She's gone. My Starlight's gone.

I remember the day she was born. My brother had passed out at the sight of his wife in labour. Alex has been such a small baby. Small, but still strong. I remember the day she walked for the first time. She'd been so, so small, toddling towards her mother and me, my brother with his old video camera.

She'd been so, so small when Adrian and Neave had died. So tiny and confused and scared. She didn't know where her parents had gone. She wasn't used to the strange tall building I'd brought her to. She'd never been in a lift, and it had scared her. She'd seemed so small when she'd gone to school, her backpack the same size as her, her hair mad because I still hadn't learned how to tame it yet.

I had been so bad to her recently. I'd hidden what I'd had with Helen. I had lied to her. I had believed Helen over her. I should never have done that. I wanted to find her, I wanted to say sorry. I wanted to hear her call me a stupid old man. I wanted to see her smile as she said it. But now I'll never see her again.

I swallow, remembering where I am.

"Right. Okay."

"Stephen-" Nick starts.

"Let's do it. We'll do it, now." I say, looking at him. "For her." I say. Nick nods.

"For Alex."

***

The door. We can't close the door.

"One of us has got to go back in." Nick says, just as I come to the same conclusion. Our eyes land on Helen. I see Nick's head turn to look at me. Then he looks at Helen again. And to the door. "I'll do it." he says. I look at him, shaking my head.

"You'll never make it out." I tell him.

"Get out of here." he says before glancing at Helen again. He hugs me, unexpectedly. I'm in so much shock I don't move as he whispers, "Just remember Lester's not the enemy."

"Nick, please." Helen says. I turn without thinking and punch Nick, knocking him to the ground. I'm through the door before he's back on his feet. I hear him shout my name. But I don't care. I'm not going to open that door. The one thing I was trying to protect, the one person I was trying to keep safe, is gone. I tell myself that she would want me to save the others.

_But she wouldn't want you to die for them_

I look into the window of the door.

"Sorry, mate. I'm doing this one." I say. I can hear Nick through the door.

"No, open the door!"

And then I hear another voice.

"Stephen!"

Someone pushes past Nick and stares at me through the glass.

It's Alex.

Alex.

She's there.

She's alive.

"Stephen, open this door right now. Right now, do you hear me?"

"Starlight."

**Alex**

My mind, so blurry a moment ago, is sharper than a knife. Pain has sharpened it. Pain and shock. Stephen is in the creature prison. He's on the wrong side of the door.

"Stephen, open this door right now. Right now, do you hear me?"

"Starlight." his voice is almost too quiet for me to hear it, but I do. Fresh tears spring from my eyes. I heard the blare of the siren. The siren that means food. Food for the creatures that are about to pour into the room my uncle has locked himself into.

"Stephen. Stephen, open the door!" Nick's shouting with me. Helen hasn't said anything.

"Open this damn door right now or-"

"I can't. I can't risk that. I have to keep you safe. This is the only way I can do that."

"No!"

"I'm sorry. It's the only way. I open this door, all hell breaks loose."

"No, no, please. Please!"

But he's walking backwards, away from the door. I'm crying, crying so hard. Shaking, pain piercing through my back that makes my cry more.

"Tell Abby and Connor to stay out of trouble." he says, his eyes on Nick. "Don't let her watch this." he adds. And then he looks at me.

"Stephen-"

"I love you, Starlight."

I'm being pulled away from the door as creatures creep closer and closer to him. Raptors, predators, the Smilodon. Pain rips through me as Nick pulls at my arm.

"No! No, Nick-"

"Alex, please." he says. His voice is broken. Everything blurs again suddenly. I feel like I'm burning. I feel like I'm lost. I feel like I'm dying. I fall to the ground. I black out halfway there.

_I love you, Starlight_

***

I sit alone at the kitchen table. I feel like I'm wearing shoulder pads, I have that many bandages on my back and shoulders. It's painful to sit this way, but I don't really care. It's painful to do anything nowadays.

It's my fault. I know it is. If I'd done better, I could have stopped Helen, I could have convinced him. If I'd woken up sooner, I could have saved him. If I'd been stronger, fought harder, just...I could have done something. It's my fault he's gone.

I am alone in the world now. The last Hart left beating.

I drink the last dregs from the bottle in my hand and stand, I pick up my jacket and shrug it on slowly. I lift my arms to tie my hair, but it hurts too much so I just tuck it into my hood. I walk to the door, picking up my helmet and clicking the light off. I lift my bag, but I don't put it over my shoulder. I lock the door behind me and go to the block of flat's car park. I strap my bag to my bike, shove my helmet on and disappear into the night.

I know that soon enough, someone will go to the flat to look for me. All they'll find is the note.

_I'm leaving. Don't look for me and don't come after me. I just need to go somewhere. I need to leave. I don't know where I'm going to go. I just need to get out of here, and I don't really care where I end up. I don't know how long I'll be gone. But I'll come back. I swear to you, I will come back._


	14. Crocodile Rock

_Season 3, Episode 1_ **  
Alex Hart**

"You're sure you're ready to come back?" Lester asks. 

"Yes. I need to do something, Lester. Just...something to distract myself." I tell him and he nods, a sad look on his face. It isn't pitying, which I appreciate. I've been getting a lot of pitying looks.

"As long as you're sure, Alex. I can keep you out of the field if you like." he offers. I shake my head. 

"I'd rather be in the field. There's too much of him here." I tell him. Lester nods and stands. 

"The new head of security will be arriving tomorrow. I'd like you to meet him first." I nod and Lester lets me leave. I find Nick. He's in his office, reading something on his computer. He smiles sadly when he sees me. 

"Princess." he hasn't called me that in ages. It's an old name for me he used when I was small. He started calling me it again after the first anomaly. He holds out a little folder, sheets of paper sticking out. "You are my second in command now, Princess. This is the report on the Silurian and I need you to check it." this statement comforts me. He isn't going to try and make me open up, tell me to 'cry it out'. I appreciate it. But I'm also slightly disconcerted that he's acting as if I haven't been gone for weeks. He'd had no idea I was coming back today, no one had except Lester. I push the feeling out and take the file out of his hands. 

"I'll get it back to you in an hour or so." I tell him. I wander across the building to the little room I have claimed as my own. I sit at my desk, prop my chin on my hand and open the file. I'm met with my uncle's handwriting. I take a deep breath and start reading it. I can't get more than a sentence in. I can hear Stephen's voice saying the words. I close the file and lean my head back, closing my eyes, but I can still hear him. I reach for my phone, for something to distract me. I see my earphones and jam them into my ears, pressing play on my music. As loud electric guitar thunders in my ears I open the file again. I can't do it. It's so...so him. I have to shut the file again. I close my eyes again, but I'm met with my uncle's smiling face. I feel a hand on my shoulder and my eyes shoot open, fright suddenly going through me, but it's only Jenny. I take the earphones out. Jenny's trying to hide her pity as she sees the file clenched in my hands. 

"Do you want me to do it?" she asks. I let myself relax. Just Jenny. I trust Jenny. 

"Thank you." I mumble. She squeezes my shoulder. 

"Of course." she tells me. I stand as soon as the door closes after her. I put my earphones back in and head down to the armoury. I need a distraction.

***

**Becker**

We reach what my new employer had called the ops room. He stops beside a young woman and I stand in front of them. 

"You're also aware of the work we do here?" Lester asks me. 

"You detect anomalies and fight dinosaurs when necessary." I reply. 

"You don't seem surprised." the woman says. Lester glances at her before he speaks.

"Captain Becker, this is Alex Hart. She's our second in command. You'll be answering to her." Lester says. I look at her, Alex. She looks a year or so younger than me, golden curls dancing past her shoulders. She's shorter than Lester, so a fair bit shorter than me. Her eyes are brown, like mine. She has earbuds in, playing music, I assume. She has a belt of knives, the tell-tale bump of a handgun stuck in the back of her jeans. She looks completely exhausted and distraught, but also...almost dangerous. She looks like she hasn't smiled in a long time. Alex clears her throat and I looks back to Lester hurriedly. _Shit._ Had I been staring?

"You don't seem surprised." he says, repeating Alex's words. I put on a worried face. 

"I have extensive experience in dinosaur handling, sir, ma'am. I assumed that's why I was picked for the job." I say, letting a worried tone creep into my voice. 

"I take it that's some sort of joke." Lester says, unimpressed. I drop the act. 

"Yes, sir." 

"A lot of people are sceptical when they first join us, Captain. They don't stay that way for long." she tells me. 

"And in future, I'll do the jokes." Lester adds. 

"Yes, sir. Sorry, sir." I say. 

"You'll be working with a highly strung team of rank amateurs."

"Hey! I'm no amateur, James." Alex cuts in. Lester turns to her. She's scowling now. 

"Who just happen to be brilliant at what they do." Lester adds. Alex's scowl doesn't fade. I look back at Lester as he continues, "Your job's to stop them getting themselves killed. No matter what they say, what excuses they use, you and your men will stick to them like glue." Lester lowers his voice. "We can't afford another Stephen Hart, is that clear?" he asks. I look at Alex again. Her face has fallen into sadness. Her arms have unfolded and her hands clenched into fists at her sides. She's looking at Lester, hurt in her eyes. 

"Crystal clear, sir." I say, still not looking at him. 

"Good luck." Lester says. Alex breathes in sharply and Lester's face falls. He hadn't realised she was still there. He looks at her, but she moves her eyes away from him, instead staring at the wall behind me. 

"Professor Cutter won't like you and he'll go out of his way to make your job impossible." she says before turning and walking away. Lester sighs, covering his eyes. 

"Sir?" I ask. He takes his hand away from his eyes and looks at me, regret on his face. 

"I thought she'd gone." he tells me. "Stephen was her uncle." Lester turns, looking for her, but she's already left the room. He turns back to me. "I want you to look after her, Becker. I'm not sure how well she's coping and I don't want her doing anything silly and getting herself hurt. So I want you to keep a special eye on her for me. I can't keep her safe when she's in the field." he says.

"Of course sir."

**Alex**

I sit in silence in my 'office'. I don't listen to any music, I don't close my eyes. I ache inside, I miss Stephen so much. I let the tears fall.

_It's your fault._ Helen's voice echoes in my head._ He came here for you._ I shut my eyes, my breath ragged. I can see him, clear as day. He is inches from me, just the other side of the door.

_Open the damn door, Stephen!_ I can hear myself screaming it. I can see him, stepping away from me.

_I love you, Starlight._

I bend my head, resting it on my hands, my elbows propped up on the table.

_Your fault._ Helen's voice says again. I hear a knock on my door and I sniff, swiping at my eyes. 

"Come in." I call. It's the new head of security. Becker, I remember. I give him a weak, watery, entirely fake smile. "Captain." I say. I pointed at the chair opposite from me. "Sit, please." Becker steps in and closes the door, but he doesn't sit. 

"I just wanted to check you were all right." the words come out stiffly, unnaturally. I can see right through him. My smile falls.

"Lester's asked you to keep an eye on me." I realise aloud. I stand. 

"No, I just-"

"Hasn't he?" I can see the answer on Becker's face. I move towards the door and open it. "I don't need a babysitter." I snap. I march to Lester's office. I go straight through the door, not bothering to knock. He doesn't even try to smile. He knows why I was there. 

"Alex, I-" I don't let him get any further. 

"I don't need to be watched, Lester. Let me do this on my own. I don't need a walking stick to lean on. And certainly not one that's attached to your ear. Just let me work through it on my own." I tell him, hesitating before continuing, "I suppose you want my opinion on him. Typical soldier boy, he'll follow any orders he's given by the right person. Mediocre liar, mischievous streak, hides his emotions and thoughts well." I turn and leave, a tear still on my cheek. I scrape my hair into a ponytail as I walk. I see Becker emerge from my office. He sees me and guilt fills his features. I keep walking, heading down the ramp. When I get to the door I nearly collide with Jenny and Nick. They're laughing, but their faces change when they see me. 

"Alex?" Nick starts. I move to go past them. I want to go home, back to Danny's. I don't get two steps away before the anomaly alarm starts blaring. I shut my eyes and let out a sigh. I wipe my face and turn, now heading towards the ADD. 

"Where is it?" I try not to snap at the woman sitting there. 

"The British Museum." she tells me. I nod and jam my earphones back in.

***

**Becker**

Alex stalks in front of me through the museum as I swivel in circles behind her. She has a gun in one hand, two knives in the other. She doesn't speak. I move to walk beside her and nod at the knives. 

"How good are you with them?" I ask. She begins twirling one in between her fingers. 

"Very." she answers. 

"Could you show me?" I ask. I need to at least try to get her to speak to me. 

"Yes." she tells me. She turns, the gun shoved back into its place in the waistband of her jeans, a knife in each hand. "Name your target." she tells me. I walk over to the far wall and point upwards. 

"What about-" I am cut off by a thunk in the wall right next to my ear. If I had moved at all, the knife would have landed in my ear. There's another thunk above my head. If I had moved my head a second before, it might have drawn blood. I can't speak as there's one more thunk, pinning my sleeve to the wall. Alex is scowling less now. 

"I'm that good, Action Man." 

I still can't speak. I pluck the knives from the wall as she walks towards me and hand them to her. I find my voice. 

"What was that for?" I demand. 

"For trying to spy on me." she tells me casually. 

"I am sorry, you know." I tells her. "I was just-" she holds up a hand. 

"Following orders." she finishes my sentence for me. "I was right then." she says as she turns and walks away. I jog to catch up to her. 

"Right about what?" I ask. 

"Typical soldier boy." she says, as if that explains everything. She pauses and her whole demeanour changes. She seems more relaxed, but more sad. "Sorry. I'm just angry at Lester." she forces a laugh. "Angry Alex is a bad Alex." she tells me. 

"Are you okay?" I ask. She doesn't get to answer before we hear a bang from the hall everyone had left from.

***

**Alex**

"I'm going to brief Lester. Becker, can you secure the area?" Jenny asks. I hear retreating footsteps from behind me. Nick speaks as Jenny leaves. 

"Connor, stay and work out what period the anomaly's linked to. And find out what Doctor Page knows about the Sun Cage. Alex, make sure he doesn't injure himself. Abby, come with me." he says. I cross my arms. 

"I'm your tracker, Nick." he gives me a look and I put my earbuds back in. "Fine. I'll stay here and make sure Connor doesn't die. Though I was told that that was what the soldiers were here for." I mutter before turning and wandering towards the Sun Cage as Nick and Abby run off. 

"I bet I can read your mind." Connor says to Doctor Page. "You wanna know who we are, what the ARC is, and what the big flickering thing Alex's standing next to is." I listen, but don't turn. 

"Actually, I'm wondering why an Egyptian demon was trying to eat me." Doctor Page tells him.

"Better luck next time, Xavier." I say, turning. Connor folds his arms. 

"Fine, I bet I can guess what you're listening to." he says. I walk towards them. 

"Go ahead." I say. 

"ACDC." Connor says confidently. I turn to Doctor Page. 

"What about you, Doctor? What do you think?" I'm trying to keep my voice light and happy. 

"It's Sarah. Bruce Springsteen?" she guesses, shrugging. I hear a voice behind me. 

"Queen." I throw my hand upwards, pointing to the sky, but I've moved too quickly and my voice becomes a wince as I say, 

"And Action Man gets the points." 

Connor and Sarah's faces become etched with worry. 

"Are you alright?" Sarah asks. I wince more as I bring my arm back down. 

"Yep, yep, fine, thanks, Sarah." I tell. Connor's watching me carefully. "It's okay, Con." 

"What's wrong?" I hear Becker ask. 

"Nothing." I say. I don't want to explain it. My shoulders still sting and ache when I move, even weeks later. Connor seems satisfied with my words and he starts pottering about the Sun Cage, asking Sarah questions. Becker moves to stand beside me. 

"Are you hurt, Alex?" he asks. "You shouldn't be in the field if you're injured." I shake my head. 

"I can manage. I need to do this." I tell him. 

"I really don't think-"

"I said I'm fine."

***

**Becker**

Alex crouches next to the steps by the river, studying the prints there. 

"Crocodiles usually drag their victims into the water to finish them." Abby says. 

"So why did this croc attack on land?" I ask. 

"Why's it walking on two legs?" Alex asks, standing up. She walks over to Nick and holds out her hand. "Phone." she's annoyed at him, I can see that, but I can't quite figure out why. Nick hands his phone over and then moves to stand next to Abby. Alex stares after him, disbelief and hurt in her eyes. I step closer to her and her face changes, a mask going up. She puts the phone on speaker so I can hear.

_Cutter._ says Connor's voice. 

"No, it's Commander Hart." she replies. I raise an eyebrow. Commander Hart?

_Oh, hi, Andy. Right, __Eocene__. I am just narrowing down the list of creatures from that era now._ he tells her. 

"I think I know what you're going to find." Alex says.

_Just give me a minute._ there's a pause._ Oh yeah. Yeah, this is definitely the guy. Hang on. His name is._

"Pristichampsus." Alex says, her eyes closing for a moment.

_Bingo. Yep, looks like the one._

Alex opens her eyes again and nods. "Alright, thanks, Connor. I'll phone again in a bit, alright?" Alex hands the phone back to Nick. 

"Alright, so it's in the Thames." Abby begins. 

"But it won't be there for long." Alex adds. Abby nods. 

"It's going to come ashore, looking for warmth." she says. 

"And food." Alex adds.

***

**Alex**

I sit on the pedestal of the statue, Becker leaning against it next to my feet. Queen still plays into my ears. Nick stands on the steps, Abby beside him. He has a small pair of binoculars and was scanning the other side of the Thames.

_He blames himself too, you know._ Stephen's voice tells me over Freddie Mercury's singing. 

"But it wasn't actually his fault." I whisper.

_It wasn't your either._

"It was." my voice comes out louder than I had meant it to and Becker twists around to look up at me. I shake my head. "Nothing." I tell him. He turns back around.

_He doesn't quite know how to help you, I think._ Stephen tells me. 

"It would help if he would speak to me." I reply, my voice lowered again.

_Have you tried speaking to him first?_ Stephen asks.

"Of course I have. I didn't inherit my uncle's insensitivity." 

_No, you got that from Danny._ I nearly laugh. 

"I miss you." I whisper.

_I know, Starlight. I miss you too._ Stephen's voice is chased away by Abby's,

"If it's been living in Egypt, the Thames will be much colder than what it's used to. It'll be looking to get out pretty soon." I straighten up suddenly. I can see the creature, crawling out of the river. I jump down and point at it. 

"Make that right now."

***

I find the creature first, in a room full of decked-out tables full of glasses and cutlery. I run to the creature, jumping ahead of it. I have to stop it. 

"Alex!" it's Nick, now in front of me. I whirl about, looking for a way out. There are windows. I pull at the handles, trying to open them, but they're locked. "Abby, for Gods sake shoot it!" Nick yells. I turn. 

"It's locked!" I shout. Abby pulls the trigger on her tranq gun, but the creature moves and the dart embeds itself into the pillar, centimetres away from Nick's face. 

"Sorry!" she calls. I pull out a knife. Nick sees it. 

"No!" he yells. "You're not killing it, Alexandra!" he picks up a little wheelie hoover that was in the room when I got her, and throws it at the window. The window smashes. He yell at the creature and kicks the window, shattering it further. He grabs my arm and then the fire hose, throwing the nozzle at the creature. It turns and starts coming towards us. I can't break free from Nick. He starts to tie the fire hose around himself, letting go of me. I take a step away. "Alex, no!" he shouts as he grabs my arm again. He pulls me out of the window and onto the balcony. 

"Nick!" 

I'm panicking a little as he pulls me up onto the ledge. He has the fire hose around him, but I have nothing. Nick jumps, taking me with him. Automatically, my arms go around him and my eyes squeeze shut. My shoulders are shot through with pain as we jerk to a stop and I yelp. I can feel the half-healed skin on my back and shoulders ripping open again. It feels like they're being cut to ribbons all over again. I don't open my eyes, concentrating on trying to breathe through the pain. I hear Abby's voice. 

"Are you okay?" she shouts. 

"Yes. We're just enjoying the view." Nick calls back. 

"No, no, not okay!" I shout. My arms give up, the pain too much, and I fall to the ground.

***

**Becker**

I push open the door to Alex Hart's office, forgetting to knock, just as she's pulling some kind of vest top over her head. Bandages cover her shoulders completely, and go right across the upper part of her back.

"Thanks for knocking. Nice to know Security is concerned about my privacy." she says without turning, lifting her hands up to her hair to drag it all upwards.

"Sorry, I-"

"It's fine. Hang around Connor Temple for long enough and you're used to seeing everyone half-dressed." Alex says, only turning once all her hair is tied. She holds her hand out to me, as if offering to shake my hand. "Hi. I'm Alexandra Hart. I'm part of a secret government department trying to contain rips in time and the prehistoric creatures who walk through them. The last Head Of Security died, and so did my uncle, and I believe that's why you're here..." she lets her voice trails off, indicating her hand. I catch on and lift my hand to hers.

"Captain Becker. The new Head of Security." I say, and she nods.

"Captain Becker." she lets go of my hand to sit at her desk. "Do you have any questions? Most people do after their first day."

"Why are you in the field?" I ask immediately, "You're injured and-"

"I told you. I'll manage." she cuts in. "Anything else?" she asks, and I hesitate, going through the events of the day.

"What the fuck is this place?" I ask eventually, and small sound not unlike laughter escapes from her as she smiles for the first time.

"You got there. I knew you would." she says. Before either of us can say anything else, there's a knock at the door and Abby Maitland sticks her head in.

"Al, Lester wants to see you." she tells her. Alex just nods, stands, and leaves. Abby moves back out of the office, and I follow her rather than stand in Alex's office. Abby moves to the railing over which we can see the operations room. I'm looking down at what I've been told is called the ADD, the anomaly detector.

"You know," Abby starts, and I look at her instead, "I think that's the first time I've seen her smile since Stephen died." she's watching Alex as she walks to Lester's office. Abby's smiling a little too. She turns to me and holds out her hand. "Welcome to the team."


	15. Bat Out Of Hell

_Season 3, Episode 2_ **   
** **Alex**

Becker and I are sitting silently side by side, working. Well, he's working. I'm plotting. Connor and Abby are at separate tables and Jenny is checking something on the ADD. Nick and Sarah burst through the ops room doors.

"Alright, listen up." Nick calls. Becker and I stand and Jenny moves to stand beside me. Connor and Abby look up from what they're doing. "We've analysed the most recent anomalies and put them into the model. The prediction is specific and local, but there's a problem. It could happen tomorrow or many years from now." Nick is speaking directly to Jenny now, "I want you to go check it out and take Sid and Nancy with you." Connor and Abby look at each other, confused.

"I'll go too." Sarah offers.

"No, I need you here." Nick tells her.

"I should handle this." Becker says.

"No, no, Cutter's right, we'll go." Jenny says.

"I'll come." I say.

"No, you won't." Nick tells me.

"It's been nearly three weeks, my shoulders are good enough. I'm back in action, Nick. I'm going." I tell him, staring him down.

"I'm your guardian and I say no."

"Dan-"

"I said no, Alex."

"Nick-"

"No! Now get back to your work." his voice is suddenly loud and angry and I flinch involuntarily away. I feel Abby's fingers curl around mine. She'd jumped at his snapping voice too. It's Nick who breaks the icy silence. "Jenny, anything happens, you call me." he says, shoving a hand through is hair. He's left it to grow since Stephen died. He turns and goes for the door. Sarah looks at me and moves to take a step forward but, "Sarah!" Nick shouts. She starts walking backwards, hissing,

"Help. I've been taken hostage by an obsessive scientist."

"Welcome to our world." Connor calls as she turns and follows Nick out.

"Okay?" Abby asks quietly. I haven't really heard her question, but I nod and let go of her hand so I can walk away.

***

**Sarah**

I can hear the music the second I step into the corridor. I can hear angry human noises from the end training room. A sudden yell in what I'm pretty sure is Italian. I push open the door and find Alex's phone on the shelf next to it. I pick it up and switch the music off. Alex turns. She's tied her hair into two tight plaits to keep it out of her eyes. I can see the piercings in her ear that I hadn't previously known about.

"Can you not-" she starts, scowling. Then her face softens. "Sarah."

"Are you sure you should be doing that?" I ask, nodding at the bag hanging from the ceiling, at her wrapped hands. "What with your shoulders..." I know she's injured them, but I don't know how.

"No, not really. But I'm pissed, so I'm going to."

"Alex..."

"I mean, I could just knock Nick out instead." she offers. I scrunch my nose up.

"Maybe not." I say. "You know what I live by?" I ask. Alex shakes her head. "Ice cream fixes everything." I tell her, "Go to the break room, I've hidden a tub of Häagen-Dazs in there. It'll help you cool down a bit, and it won't hurt as much."

"Thank you, Sarah." she says.

"Look, how are you doing?" I ask. "I don't want to poke my nose in, I just...I just want to know you're alright."

"I'm...I'm fine. Just mad at Nick. He doesn't talk to me for days and then snaps and yells like he did back there. I just wish he'd talk to me, about anything." she tells me. "Where are you off to?" she asks, nodding at my jacket, my bag slung over my shoulder.

"Library. There's an old Chinese myth I want to check out. The Qilin." I tell her, and she gives me a small smile.

"Really, Sarah. Thank you."

***

**Becker**

I stand in front of Sarah. She's rooting about in her purse, a bundle of folders and papers in her arms. 

"No one gets in without a pass." I remind her. 

"I did have it in here when I left." she assures me as I cross my arms. Sarah gives me a look as she fishes around in her bag. "Come on, Becker, it's not like you don't know who I am." 

"Sir?" comes another voice. I turn. "According to this, Doctor Page entered the building a quarter of an hour ago." I look at Sarah and frown before turning again. I take off running as the intruder alarm starts blaring, leaving her at the gate. I grab a gun from the armoury and keep running. I find a man at the lockers, Cutter's jacket in his hands. 

"Don't move!" I yell. The man freezes. "Turn around slowly." he does. "Put your hands where I can see them." I tell him. One hand is holding the jacket, the other in a pocket. He takes a gun from his pocket. I step towards him. "Drop your weapon and get down on the ground now!" I order. The man lifts the gun, aiming at me. I pull the trigger without hesitation. But a split second before I hear the bang of my gun going off, I hear another gun. Alex kicks the man's gun away from him. Her mouth is open, her eyes wide. A gun is hanging from her hand.

"Where did you get that?" I ask.

"I carry it with me." she says without looking up from the man on the floor.

"Really? And I suppose you were here first?" I say, disbelief clear in my voice. Alex just nods. "Then why hadn't you already shot him?" I ask. She doesn't get to answer before I hear Cutter's voice,

"I know this man." he says.

"How?" I ask.

"We watched him die millions of years ago." Alex mumbles.

"What?"

"He's dead."

"Yeah, we just shot him."

"No, no. He died in a Silurian desert." Nick says. He turns and walks away.

"Wait-" I start as Alex stands. It's difficult to understand Cutter at the best of times. This is not the best of times. Alex shoves her gun at my chest.

"Carry a gun with you. It'll save someone's life." she tells me without looking at me before she walks away too.

***

**Alex**

"Cutter, this guy was eaten by a giant scorpion in the Silurian desert. I'd say that makes him fairly dead." Sarah says.

"I didn't say it made sense." Nick replies. I sit silently, cross-legged on a table, with my earphones in. I can see it, see him being dragged into the sand. I can hear his screams.

"Alright. It's his identical twin." Becker says, moving to lean against the table Sarah's at.

"He also died a few months earlier in a shopping centre." I says.

"We don't have proof of that." Nick points out.

"That's saying Connor's a liar." I tell him, an eyebrow arching upwards.

"Triplets then." Becker says before Nick can answer.

"What's he doing here going through my laundry?" Nick asks.

"We killed his brother, so he steals your shirt." Becker says, a laugh creeping up on both him and Sarah.

"Can we not joke about this?" I ask, my voice sharp. "It's Helen. It has to be."

"Possibly." Nick says, "She employed him before." he explains to the other two.

"What, so now she's brought him back from the dead?" Becker asks. I can't believe he's treating this so flippantly, making jokes and laughing. Doesn't he understand what Helen's done? What she can do? "She's scarier than I thought." he adds.

"You can't even begin to guess. Rule number one: Something inexplicable happens, Helen's usually behind it." Nick says. "Trust me. She's back." Becker grins, wiggling his fingers in the air and making ghost noises. That is it. That's the last straw. I slide off the table and stalk into the corridor. Sarah calls after me. Nick doesn't.

***

"Sarah seems to think I've offended you."

I don't look up.

"I didn't mean to, if I have. You just seemed a bit shaken, I thought a laugh would help."

"I had just shot someone who I'd believed to be dead, Becker. I'm sure you can understand my being shaken." I'm channelling Lester, writing as I speak and staring at my paper. I put my pen down. "You don't seem to quite understand what happens here." I look up, "People die."

"I understand that-"

"This isn't a game, Becker. This isn't fucking Dino-Park." I'm standing now, walking forward. "This is real life. People walk in here and they don't leave unless they're in a wooden box. We've just killed a man and you stand there and laugh about it. We've taken a life. And you think 'ah, she's a bit upset about this guy she's just murdered, better make a joke.' In what kind of world does that make sense?"

"In a world were killing is what I've been trained to do, Alex. The kind of world where that is my job, where I have no choice." he snaps. "Look, I understand you lost Stephen, but-"

"I lost Helen. I lost my best friend. I lost Connor's best friend. I lost the last head of security. I've lost everything."

"Well so have I." he answers. We glare at each other for a minute before, "Now are we going to act like adults or squabbling toddlers?" he asks.

"You sound like Jenny." I tell him, sneering a little.

"Look, I didn't mean anything by it."

"Sure."

"Alex..." he starts, and I sigh. I can't be mad at him for trying to make me laugh.

"Fine. Fine. Get me a hot chocolate and I'll forget the whole thing." I promise.

Halfway to the break room, our phones start ringing. We frown before pulling them out of our pockets.

"Jenny." Becker says.

"Jenny?" Sarah repeats, appearing with a cup of coffee. My phone is already at my ear.

"Alexandra Hart, annoyance extraordinaire, how may I be of service?" I ask.

_Alex, we need Becker here now._

"Yeah, okay, I'm on my way."

_But Be-_

"I'll tell him too." I tell her. "Where do you need us?" I ask. When she tells me the address, I freeze.

***

We reach the bridge. I can't go any further. I can't go near the house. I nod at the soldiers either side of me.

"Go on. I'll be there in a minute." I tell them. I don't look at them, but at the young man waiting at the top of the bridge, a cap shadowing his face. I wait until all the soldiers have disappeared before I run up the bridge and fling my arms around the man standing there. He's so much taller than me that I'm lifted off my feet when he hugs me back.

"Alex, you piece of shit."

"Ryan, you idiotic bastard." I say, letting my eyes close for a moment before I yank myself back and whack his arm. "What the bloody hell were you doing at the freak house?"

"Um, ow?"

"Sorry."

"Well, all these government people turned up and started asking me about it and I-"

"Decided to stick your nose in."

"No! Well, yeah, I suppose. I just wanted to know the truth, Saurus." Saurus. It's an old nickname. One only three people ever used. Two of them are dead.

Growing up with Danny Quinn as one of Stephen's friends meant I grew up with his brother Patrick. He had two really good friends growing up. Ryan Mason, who is standing in front of me, and Matthew Small, who's dead. So's Patrick. I used to call him Paddy. Fourteen years ago the three boys had come to this house while the owners were on holiday. Ryan was the only one who had come back. He'd practically become an exile since then. Everyone had thought he had murdered Patrick and Matthew. Everyone except me and his mother.

"The truth is that they're gone, Ryan." I tell him.

"But...but it was that thing that took them..." he starts.

"We can't tell people that. We can't, Ryan. I'm sorry." I tell him, already knowing what he's hoping. "I'm sorry." I say again. Ryan just nods, shoving his hands into his pockets.

"I get it." he tells me, but I know he's disappointed. "Hey, do you want to come round to the house? Mum'll be really happy to see you." he tells me.

"Oi, Sunshine. What are you doing here?" another voice shouts.

"On second thought, I'd better scarper." Ryan says before disappearing down the bridge as Danny walks up the other side.

"What the hell are you doing here?" he asks.

"Yeah...that's a long story." I tell him. 

***

"Why didn't you tell me before?" Danny asks.

"Because I wasn't allowed. Official Secrets Act." I tell him.

"So why are you telling me now?"

"Because I'm breaking the Official Secrets Act."

"Why?"

"Because I think you need to know."

"Look, I said this to your friend, but she didn't seem to think anything of it. They never found Patrick's body. They found Matthew's, but not Patrick's."

"You think he went through the anomaly." I realise aloud.

"Yeah. So he could still be-"

"He can't be. He won't still be alive."

"Alex-"

"He can't. He was a child, Danny. A kid."

"But Helen-"

"Helen was an adult who knew what the anomalies were. And look how she ended up. I'm sorry, Danny. He's gone."

***

When I get home it's past two in the morning. The door isn't locked. I find Nick in his study.

"Why aren't you asleep?" I ask. He just shrugs. "Did you realise I was out?" I ask.

"Hm." is all the reply I get. I see him drawing swirly patterns on the paper in front of him. For the matrix no doubt.

"Yeah. I stabbed someone, stole a car and then fucked three people." I say. No response. "I got a girlfriend. A boyfriend. God forbid it, someone asked me out on a date." I add, leaning against the doorframe. Nada. I decide on some truth-telling. "Stephen was in my head again. Telling me to talk to you. Asking me to tell you it wasn't your fault. It's not, you know. It's mine. It's my fault." I still don't get a response. "You're not even listening to me, are you?"

"Uh huh." he says. He has no idea what I'm saying. He's ignoring me completely.

"I had to go back to the freak house. You know, where we all thought Paddy was killed? Danny reckons he went through an anomaly, he knows about the ARC now, by the way. And...and I...I killed someone. I've never done that before. I've hurt people, but I never thought I could..." my eyes go to my hands, but they're blurry. "And I know that guy's been dead before, but it's different when you're the thing that kills him." my voice catches. For a moment, I wonder if me crying will make Nick turn around. He doesn't. "Good talk." I say, pressing the back of my wrist to my eye. "Good talk. Thanks for the advice you didn't give me, I'll remember it."

Since Stephen died, Nick's been different. He's let his hair grow. He's let the house collect dust. He doesn't speak to me. He doesn't look at me. He talks to the others as if Stephen's death was a mere bump in the road and not a life-changing event. The only time he seems normal and I believe him is when he's with Jenny.

Since Stephen died, I feel like I've been drowning. I'd seen Nick as someone in a lifeboat. Someone who could help me get back to land. But he's just sailing further and further away from me, ignoring all shouts for help.


	16. The Show Must Go On

_Season 3, Episode 3_ **   
** **Alex**

"Alexandra Louise, _ put me down!" _

"No." I say simply, grinning.

"Put me down!" Becker says again.

"I'll end up dropping you if you don't stop wriggling." I tell him, doing the strange little shifting move everyone does when they're carrying something heavy, and Becker makes an odd noise from where he is across my shoulders. I'm almost at the ops room, just about to kick the door open and march in carrying the Head of Security when, 

"Alexandra Louise Hart, what on earth do you think you're doing! Put him down!" Jenny cries. I turn, still smiling.

"I'm having fun, Jenny." I tell her.

"It is not fun!" Becker calls. I laugh, but then I see Jenny's face.

"Alexandra, put Captain Becker down this instant." she orders. I glance at the ground, my smile melting.

"Yes, Jenny." I mumble. I lower Becker to the ground. He punches my arm before he too see Jenny's expression and looks at the ground.

"Honestly, I thought you two were the responsible ones!" she exclaims. "I do not expect you to act like a couple of kids!" the two of us stand with our hands behind our backs, heads bent slightly so we look like we're sorry. Jenny sighs, "Lester wants the two of you in the matrix room. Off you go."

Becker is a good distraction from Nick. I can train with him, fight with him, shoot with him. And annoy him. I've started to teach him how to throw knives. I go round to Connor and Abby's a lot in the evenings. We watch movies, eat popcorn, and are generally lazy. I help Connor with the anomaly locking mechanism he's working on, help Sarah with her legends, help Abby look after the creatures. I'm already very close to Abby and Connor, but I become closer to Becker and Sarah than I am with Nick at the moment. We live in the same house, but it's like we're on opposite sides of the world. I never go near the matrix room, and I barely ever see him. I'm confused now why I'm being allowed in there.

When we enter the matrix room, Nick is sitting watching Lester edge around the model.

"Ah." Lester says when he sees us. Nick watches me carefully. "Any news of Helen Cutter?" Lester asks.

"I've started a full review of security." Becker tells him.

"Are we sure the intruder was her doing?" Lester asks, turning to Nick as Sarah walk up to him.

"Can't think of anybody else who could create an exact replica of a dead man." Nick tells him. Lester turns back to us.

"Alex, I want you to assist Becker in the review of security. You'll be able to spot things he can't. Keep everyone on high alert. If Helen's back, we should all be very worried. Now, Alex, I believe you and Connor have something to show me."

Nick and Jenny follow Lester to the table I'm now at with Connor. I don't really understand the contraption, I had just passed Connor tools, but he has explained to me what he hopes it'll be able to do. I tap Connor's shoulder and he turns as Lester speaks.

"So this contraption is going to seal the anomalies, is it?" he asks, and Connor swallows before answering,

"In theory, yeah." I hear Abby's voice saying my name. Lester raises an eyebrow and then sighs.

"Off you go then." he says and I nod,

"Thank you, sir." I leave before he can remark about my calling him sir. I only get halfway to Abby before the anomaly alarm goes off. She sighs. "Perfect timing, isn't it?" I call as I switch directions, heading for the ADD. I press a few keys. "Okay, it's in the city." a sense of dread goes through me as I turn to the others. "It's in a hospital."

***

We stop at the front desk. I don't wait for Nick to start speaking.

"Becker, take your men, come with me. We'll check for creature activity." Becker nods and moves off, his men following. I glance at Nick. He acts as though he hasn't heard me. I sigh and follow the last soldier.

"Right, split up into twos." I hear Becker call. "We search every inch of this place." he walks backwards once all the men have left to walk beside me. Connor catches up with us a few moments later.

"Yo." he says, "Give me a gun."

"Connor, the last time I gave you a gun, you shot Abby." I remind him. Becker makes a spluttering noise.

"He what?" he asks. Connor waves a dismissive hand.

"That was ages ago." he says.

"I'm still not giving you a gun." I tell him.

"A knife then."

"No." Becker tells him before I can. Connor sighs.

"Fine. What happens if I get attacked by a creature then?" he asks. Becker and I are saved from answering by a scream. A heavily pregnant woman comes up the corridor, a scared look on her face. She sees us, sees the guns and stands stock still. I put my gun in its holster and walk towards her, my hands out.

"Hey. Hey, it's okay. We're here to help. Did you see an animal of some kind?" I ask, and she nods slowly, hesitantly. "Okay. Can you show us where you saw it? We're here to get rid of it." I tell her. She nods again, but doesn't move. I hold out my hand and took hers. "Are you okay? What's your name?"

"Melanie." she tells me. I smile.

"Okay, Melanie, I'm Alex. I need you to show us where you saw the animal, okay? Just take us there, and we'll get rid of it." Melanie nods once more and then starts leading me down the corridor. I talk to her all the way down the corridor, keeping my voice calm and comforting. "Has your water broken yet?" I ask quietly. She shakes her head. "Good. That's okay. How long have you been having the contractions now?"

"A few hours I think." she tells me. I nod.

"Okay. Once we get rid of the animal I'll find a doctor and send him right to you, okay?" I now know from asking questions that this is her first baby. She's incredibly calm, though the creature had shaken her a little. She stops in front of a door.

"This is the room I was in." she tells me. I nod at Becker for him to go first. "It went through a hole in the wall, there." Melanie tells him, pointing. Becker crouches next to the wall, shining the torch from his gun into it. I help Melanie onto the bed.

"What did?" Connor asks.

"I don't know. A ratty, chipmunk, beaver kind of thing." Melanie answers. Connor turns to look at her.

"Well that narrows it down."

I shoot him a look. "Call Nick." I tell him. Connor nods and puts his phone to his ear.

"Cutter. We might have a problem. A ratty, chipmunk..." his voice trails off.

"Beaver." Melanie reminds him.

"Beaver kind of problem." Connor puts the phone down after a short while. "He wants us to go find him." I stand and pick up a blanket from the foot of the bed.

"Okay, you two go, I'll catch up in a minute." they leave without question and I unfold the blanket as Melanie lay down. I cover her with it carefully, and then sit next to her. "This is beautiful. Where did you get it?"

"My mum made it." Melanie smiles. I smile too.

"It's very good." I stand. "I will be right back, okay? I'm going to go find you a doctor." Melanie nods, a nervous look on her face. "I will be right back." I say again. "I promise." I leave the room, making sure to take note of the room number. I find a doctor easily enough. She is talking to two nurses. "Hi." I say, "Sorry, but there's a woman called Melanie in room 37. She's having a baby." the doctor turns, a kind look on her face.

"When is the baby due?" she asks.

"I don't know, but she's having contractions." I tell her. The doctor nods and starts walking with me. "Are you..." she lets her voice trail off. I see her eyes widen as they dart to the guns on my legs, the knives on my hips.

"I work for the government." I tell her. "I just met Melanie and I told her I would find a doctor." The doctor nods again, a slightly worried look on her face now. My phone rings and I answer it, apologising to the doctor.

_Cutter says we need to evacuate the hospital._ Connor's voice tells me.

"Okay, will do." I tell him before hanging up. "Doctor, who would I need to speak to to evacuate the hospital?" I ask. The doctors eyes widen even more. Becker and Connor came round the corner. The doctor lets out a strange whimpering noise.

"Andy, there you are. Come on, we need to find the creatures." Connor says. I look at the doctor, who had gone pale and was staring at the gun in Becker's hands. His gun is a lot bigger than mine, and just ever so slightly more intimidating. But that is something I will never admit aloud.

"Don't forget, woman in labour, room 37!" I call as I follow Connor and Becker, taking one of my guns out. I hear the doctors retreating footsteps as I catch up with them. I hear a voice over the tannoy.

_Final call for everyone to evacuate the building._

"Do we know what the creatures are yet?" I ask Connor as Becker checks the beds in the ward we're in. He shakes his head.

"Anything?" he asks Becker.

"No." he replies.

_Proceed to your nearest exit._ the tannoy continues. Connor's phone rings and he puts it on speaker.

"Cutter?" he asks.

_We're trapped in an operating theatre with the anomaly_ Nick pauses,_ And a woman who's about to give birth._ my head snaps upwards, dread running through me. I take the phone out of Connor's hand.

"What's her name?" I ask. There is a pause before Nick says,

_What's your name?_

I hold my breath, desperately hoping it isn't-

_Melanie._

"Shit. Nick, give her the phone." I wait a moment before speaking again. "Melanie? It's Alex, remember me?"

_Yes, I remember._

I sigh, half relieved, half panicking.

"Are you alright?" I ask. "How are the contractions?" there's a pause before she answers,

_They're getting worse. Alex, I think my water's about to break._ I can hear Nick in the background.

_Oh no. No no no no no._

"Fuck. Okay. Okay. You're going to be okay." I look at the others. Connor's looking panicked, Becker worried. "Everything's going to be just fine. We're going to come and find you, alright? We're coming, Melanie." I tell her.

_Okay._ there's a sudden groan of pain._ Quickly!_ she gasps.

"We're coming." I say again before I end the call.

"Where are the operating theatres?" Connor asks.

"No idea." Becker and I say together.

"Let's find someone who works here." Connor says.

"I'm a trained soldier." Becker tells him, "I can find my way around a hospital." he laughs, hitting Connor lightly on the shoulder. Connor and I look at each other, eyebrows raised, as he leaves the room.

***

**Becker**

"How difficult can it be to find an operating theatre in a hospital?" I mutter.

"What was that you said about being a trained soldier?" Alex asks innocently, grinning.

"Shut up." There's a sudden fizzing noise from the ceiling and both our guns swing up to meet it. There are sparks flying from one of the panels. There's a squeak as other panels moved.

"Creature." Alex says. I look at Connor.

"Catch it." I tell him.

"What do you mean, catch it?" he asks.

"Catch it!" I repeat, pushing him forward with my elbow.

"Why can't Andy-" Alex pushed him forward too as we follow the moving ceiling panels.

"Cause Andy has a gun and she know how to use it." she tells him.

"Alright. Catch it." Connor mutters.

"Get under it!" I tell him. He grabs an abandoned cart. Something drops from the ceiling, falling into the cart. It gurgles and Alex laughs as we look at it over Connor's shoulders, Alex on tip-toe. I can't help but smile at it. Connor laughs too as it stands up in the cart, gurgling and squealing.

"Hello there!" he says to it. "My name's Connor." he points at Alex, "This is Andy." he points at me, "And that's-" he stops and points at himself again. "My name's Connor. How are you?" he asks.

"Diictodon, don't you think, Con?" Alex asks, still smiling at it. Connor nods. I clear my throat, remembering what we're meant to be doing.

"Cutter, anomaly, pregnant woman." I remind them, covering the little dinosaur with the sheet from the cart. It's Alex that finds an operating theatre eventually. We burst through the door, Connor wheeling the cart behind us.

"They're not here." she says, slight panic in her voice. She turns a full circle. "They're not here." she says again.

"We'll find them." I tell her. The little dinosaur starts screeching.

"What is it, mate?" Connor asks as he lifts the sheet. "What are you trying to tell me?"

"Oh fantastic, now he's-"

"Doctor Doolittle." Alex says the last part at the same time as me and we look at each other, eyebrows raised at Connor's antics. He holds up a hand.

"Sh!" he hisses. There's another screeching noise. "He wasn't making that noise before."

"It's a distress call." Alex says. "Follow me." and she takes off, following the noise. Alex runs and I run after her, Connor wheeling the cart as fast as he could. We find a room with a drip on a stand holding the doors shut. Alex puts her gun in the holster and bursts through the door. She sees Melanie and rushed to her side. "Hey." she says in a hushed voice. "Hey. I'm sorry, we got here as quickly as we could." I turn my head.

"Connor, find a nurse." Connor nods and runs off. There's a bundle on Melanie's chest and she moves it so Alex can see. I move to stand beside Nick and Abby. "Who delivered it?" I ask quietly.

"I did." Abby tells me proudly.

"Well done."

"Hey there, little man. You scared me, you know that?" Alex whispers to the baby. "You did so well." she tells Melanie, her smile almost splitting her face in two. "Imagine, in a few years time, when you tell him about the day he was born. It's a story straight out of a movie." Melanie laughs a little as Alex says it. "Do you know what his name will be?" Alex asks. Melanie frowns.

"I don't know. I only had girls names ready. Do you think...do you think it would be alright...if I called him Stanley?" Melanie asks. "I know it's old fashioned, but it was my dad's name."

"It's perfect." Alex tells her. She kisses Melanie's forehead, and then she brushes her fingers over the baby's head. "See you around, Stanley."

***

**Alex**

I can't stop smiling the whole way back to the ARC. I frown a little when we're let through the gates immediately. When we all pile out of the car, I look to Becker. He's frowning too.

"He should have checked our passes, right?" I ask.

"Yes, he should have." Becker replies.

"Your men are getting slack!" Nick calls. I frown more.

"You go on ahead. I'm going to have a little word with security." Becker says.

"I'll come with you." I offer. "I want to check something."

Nick shrugs and walks off, Connor and Abby following him. Once Becker is done telling security off, I speak.

"You remember the incident that happened? With the man who stole Sarah's pass? You know, the one we had to shoot?" I ask. The four men and women in front of me look at either each other or their boots. "Do correct me if I'm wrong, Action Man, but two people are on duty at the entrances are on duty at all times, yes?"

"That's right, Commander."

"Two people watching the single entrance, checking passes. Yet somehow you didn't notice that this tall white man dressed entirely in black wasn't not-so-tall, female, brown, earth-tone dressed Sarah Page. How did that happen?"

No one answers.

"Well, I suppose if no one can tell me, I can just assume you are all in cahoots with my godmother. Cahoots. It's a fun word, isn't it, Becker?" I ask.

"Hm. A word that could mean someone gets in serious trouble." he says.

"So who was on duty that day and why didn't you realise it wasn't Sarah?" I ask, watching all four of them carefully until two of the men look at each other. "Ah. You two." they look up as I say it, immediately giving themselves away. "Names?" I have to repeat the question before one of them answers,

"Cameron, ma'am. Samuel Cameron and Johnathan Potts."

"Thank you. Why did you let the man through?" I ask.

"We didn't know it was a man, ma'am."

"You thought it was Sarah?"

"No, ma'am. We...we didn't see him come in."

"Didn't see him?" Becker repeats.

"What happened to your eyes?" I ask.

"They were somewhere other than the door, I imagine." Becker replies.

"We were just talking, ma'am, sir. Weren't concentrating. Sorry, sir."

"Sorry wouldn't have saved Professor Cutter's life, or Alexandra's, or anyone's." Becker tells them.

"Sorry tends to do very little to help you when you're dead." I agree. "Have these two ever been in trouble before?" I ask.

"No, they haven't." Becker tells me.

"Then next time, make sure you're doing your jobs, yes?" I say to the two soldiers.

"Yes ma'am, sir."

***

We're halfway down the main corridor when I stop walking.

"What is it?" Becker asks.

"Something's wrong." I say, pulling out my earphones. "There's no one here. And I can't hear anyone walking around, can you?" Becker shakes his head.

"There's no voices either." he says. I hear sudden, marching footsteps and I grab Becker's arm, pulling him through a door. I cover his mouth with my hand so he won't make a noise of surprise that would give us away. I take my hand away after a moment. The footsteps are coming closer. We stand at opposite sides of the door. I mime shooting a gun, and then shook my head. Becker nods and puts his gun down, showing me he understood. I take out one of my knives as the footsteps stop outside the room we're in. The door opens, blocking Becker from view. I recognize the man as he steps in, but I don't let my shock stop me. I punch him full in the face. Then I knee him in the best place I can think of, bashing him on the head with the pommel of my knife for good measure. He fell to the ground as Becker kicks him, rolling him onto his back.

"It's impossible." he breathes.

"Apparently not." I whisper. It's the cleaner. I crouch and put two fingers on his neck, looking for a pulse. I stand again after a few moments. "He's not dead."

"But he is. Three times over. What's going on?"

"I don't know. But we need to find the others. We can't use guns, they're too loud."

"Fists and feet it is then."

**Nick**

I walk around myself in a circle. Helen is opposite me, doing the same.

"You created this?" I ask. Helen moves away, propping herself up on a table while I do another circle around myself.

"I borrowed the technology from the future." she tells me. "He's made from your DNA. Perfect in every physical detail." I stop walking.

"Physical." I repeat.

"Hm. It has limited intelligence. Enough to follow basic instruction."

"It's still a human being, though, right?" I asks. Helen shrugs and starts to walk around the other me again, as I do.

"Free will is what makes us human." she says, "This creature. It's nothing more than a living photocopy." I stop walking, and so does she.

"Please tell me you didn't do this to Stephen." Helen hesitates before answering,

"No matter what they look like, they can never be the original." she steps away, over to a table, and I follow her.

"Why are you doing this, Helen?"

"Because I have seen the final destruction of almost every living thing on this once beautiful planet. I can stop it, Nick. I can save us from that."

"Look, whatever's going to happen, is going to happen and we have to leave it alone. Look what happened last time. You killed Stephen."

"I didn't kill Stephen. Alex did."

"You leave Alex out of this."

"Look, we both know the course of evolution can change. I can restore balance."

"You still don't get it, do you? That no matter how many times you interfere, you can't get the result you want, because evolution can't be bent to your will.

"I really hope you're wrong."

**Alex**

We find a guard outside a door. I look at Becker and he nods, walking in front of me. He taps the guard's shoulder and ducks as the guard turns, allowing me to punch him in the face. Becker pushes the door open so I can drag the guard into the room. 

"Everyone okay?" I hear Becker ask. Everyone's here. Everyone but Nick. 

"Helen's taken over the ARC." Lester tells us. 

"We know, her people are crawling all over the place." I tell him. All the same person, too. I have a feeling I know what this is. I've watched enough sci-fi to make an educated guess. Clones. Fucking clones.

"How many men have you got with you?" Lester asks.

"Just us." I answer. 

"More than enough." Becker says. Connor wheels his chair backwards so we can see him. 

"Andy, we need to get this to the PA system." 

"What is it?" Becker asks. "Doesn't matter." he adds before Connor can answer. 

"You come with us." I tell Connor. "The rest of you, stay here."

***

"I'll take the guard." Becker tells me. "You watch Temple." I pull a face and mock him, but still I walk in the door of the room, Connor beside me. 

"All right?" I ask the guard before ducking out of the way, pulling Connor with me. Becker gets the guard on the ground soon enough, but he lands on the disc, which Connor had dropped. 

"Andy!" I lift the guard up enough to get the disc. 

"Come on, Con." I sigh. Becker leans against the door frame, catching his breath as I watch Connor. "Watch out for more of them. Why do you have to make so much noise when you punch someone?" I ask.

"Apologies for doing my job, Alexandra." Becker replies flatly. I turn from Connor for what seems like a second. It's all the time the guard needs. I hear a strangled noise from Connor and I turned. The guard has slammed the lid of the laptop down onto Connor's fingers. Becker grabs the guard, but the guard simply him and threw him to the ground. He starts punching Becker. I launch myself at the guard. The guard turns from Becker and starts fighting me. 

"I can handle this, Hart!" Becker tells me from where he is on the floor. 

"No you can't." I tell him as I throw all my weight into punching the guard. "Not without me." I add. The guard breaks free from me and leaps for Connor. I can't drag him away on my own. "Becker!" he's beside me suddenly, pulling the guard away. We fight him together and within seconds he's on the ground again. "I could have done it." I say nonchalantly as the disc begins to play. Becker smiles and repeats my own words back to me, 

"Not without me."

Connor gasps for breath as Helen's voice began to play over the PA system.

_Stop. Do nothing. Obey my voice._ I put a hand on Connor's shoulder. 

"Alright, Sergeant Nerd?"

"Just fine, Commander Hart." 

"And you, Action Man?" I ask. He doesn't get to answer before an explosion shakes the whole building. All laughter dies instantly. Connor and Becker's faces become panicked, as I'm sure mine is. 

"The others." the three of us say it together. We can't run back to the room they were in, having to pick our way carefully through the wreckage. Becker and I stand at one side of the door while Connor bangs on the door. 

"Come on!" he yells. 

"Connor!" it sounds like Abby. Connor yanks the door open. 

"Come on!" Becker shouts. "Everyone out. Now!" they all pile out and head for the exit.

"Where's Nick?" I breathe. Becker turns to follow the others but Connor grabs his arm and he turns. 

"We need to find Nick." Connor says.

"Right. Alex, go outside." Becker tells me.

"But-"

"Outside!"

***

Nick's gone back inside for Helen. Of course he has. Of course.

"He's been gone too long." Jenny mutters. Connor and I look at each other, and we come to a silent agreement. We look at Abby. She knows what we're going to do.

"Be careful." she tells us. We take off, ignoring Lester as he shouts after us. I don't care that Nick hasn't been speaking to me. I don't give a shit that he doesn't care about me anymore. Because I care about him. I have to save him, I have to. I can't let him die too.

"Cutter! Cutter!"

"Nick!"

We're both shouting, coughing, hardly able to see through the smoke.

"Professor!"

We find him in the matrix room. Both of us stop at the door. Nick's struggling to sit up. Blood is darkening his clothes.

"Nick!" I land in front of him at the same time as Connor does.

"Connor. Good man. And Alex. Good...good girl." Nick's struggling to speak.

"We're going to get you out." I say, trying to lift him up, Connor helping me. But he makes a loud noise of pain and we let go, suddenly scared.

"Don't do that." he tells us.

"Sorry." Connor forces out, already in tears.

"Sorry." I whisper. Nick lifts a hand to Connor's face.

"It's okay."

"No. No, we have to get you out, we have to-" I start.

"Alex. Princess, it's alright. It's okay. Just...sit with me. The two of you."

"Okay." Connor whispers before he sits. I sit too, terrified of what's happening. I couldn't save Stephen. I can't let Nick go too.

"Listen. This matters." Nick starts, pulling some strange hexagonal object out from under his jacket on the floor. He hands it to Connor. "I don't know why. But it does, so...you have to find out what it means, okay? It's on you now."

"No. You'll do it together, okay? Both of you. You'll-"

"No, Alex. Connor has to do this by himself."

"Cutter, we'll do this together, we've always done it together." Connor says.

"No. Not this time." Nick head lands on my shoulder as he says it.

"No. No, no, don't do that. Come on, you have to get up, you have to-" I can't carry on. My voice breaks and dies.

"I'm sorry, Alex. You...you were right."

"Right? Right about what?"

"Everything." he forces out. I sit in silence, not sure what to say or what he means as tears fall from my cheeks to his hair. "Tell...tell Claudia Brown...never mind. Doesn't matter."

***

I don't let Connor touch him. I lift Nick myself. He's gone. He's gone. I couldn't save him, couldn't stop him. I walk unsteadily out of the destroyed ARC, carrying him. My eyes, already sore from crying, sting from the smoke. Nick is almost too heavy for me. But I'm suddenly not alone. People move around me, they talk, they lower Nick to the ground. Someone shouts for an ambulance. I hear Connor telling them that it is too late, that he's...he's...

Everyone is moving around, crying, shouting. I'm deaf to it, unable to move. He's gone. Both of them are gone. I can hear Abby crying, but I cannot move to comfort her. But I seem to be turning somehow, turning, looking for someone. But they're not there. Neither of them are here. And then I feel arms go awkwardly around me. I feel a hand on my hair, patting my head as if whoever it is isn't sure how to comfort someone. I let myself cry then. I let myself go. Because someone is there. It's not Stephen. It's not Nick. But someone's there.

Lester lets me cry into his suit. He doesn't tell me to pull myself together. He doesn't complain that I'm getting stuff from my nose on his collar. He doesn't tell me off for using his tie as a tissue. He doesn't push me away from him. He just stands there, awkwardly half-hugging me, and lets me cry.


	17. Back In Black

_Season Three, Episode Four_ **  
Abby**

"Alex hasn't come into work today." Becker mutters, looking down at the tablet in his hand. I'm pretty sure it's a register.

"Look, she'll be fine." I tell him. Again. Why he's in my lab I don't know. Why he couldn't talk to me when I'm not trying to water my plants I don't know either. "And don't bother asking how I know. It's what she does."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"This is what she does when...when someone dies. She runs away. She disappears. She did it when Tom died and when Captain Ryan died and when Stephen died. It's just what she does." my hands are shaking slightly as I speak. I put my watering can down and wipe my hand on my clothes.

"Shouldn't we try and-"

"Find her? No. Trying to find her just makes her want to run further away. Lester went looking for her after Stephen..." I don't want to have to say the words again. "Well, it didn't turn out great, let's just say that."

"But-"

"No, Becker. Just leave her alone. Don't look for her, don't try and contact her. Just leave her alone. In a few weeks she'll come back and everything will be fine."

"In a few week-"

"Everything will be fine." I say firmly, opening the door. "Now let me do my research." he leaves, but I don't return to the papers on my desk. My hand goes to my forehead and I sigh. I need Alex here. I need her help. Connor's only function right now seems to be Staring At The Artefact. It's all I can do to get him home at night. My mind is so full of Alex and Connor and Jack that I haven't had time to process the fact that Cutter's gone. Every so often, when I turn to ask him a question or tell him about a plant, it hits me and I just...break. My eyes start to sting. My lab is far too hot. Now is not the time for crying. Now is the time to go out and check on Connor, ask Jenny if Alex has answered any of her phone calls, make Sarah another coffee. But if I'm being honest, I just want to stay here. It's quiet here. My own little space. I want to stay here and cry, let myself accept that Cutter's dead. But I can't. I need to make sure everyone else is okay and think about myself at another time. I just don't know when that time will be. So I push myself out of the lab and into the ops room. I make my way up the slope to the observation deck. Jenny's up here, phone to her ear. She knows Alex won't answer. But still, she calls her all the time.

"Alex? Alex, are you there?" I can hear her asking.

"She won't answer." I call. Seconds later I hear,

"Alex! Alex, thank God!" relief floods Jenny's face as I reach her. I'm frowning. Something has to be wrong for Alex to have answered the call. Jenny's face changes. "I'm calling so much because I ruddy care! Well I apologise for bothering you." she snaps. "What do you mean? Oh yes, because running away solves all your problems!"

"Jenny, Jenn-" I start, but she just holds up her hand without looking at me.

"No, Alexandra. You are going to come back to work and-" Jenny stops suddenly. I can hear Alex's muffled voice through the phone. I'm not quite sure what she's saying, but Jenny's face becomes more stormy than ever. "Excuse me? How dare you-" she cuts herself off again before hissing, "Yes, I am fully aware that I'm not your mother. I am just trying to make_ you_ aware of the fact that we are all worried sick." there's a short moment of silence before Jenny holds her phone in front of her face and stares at it. "She hung up." she says simply.

**Alex**

"Feeling alright?"

"Ah. You heard me then." I mutter.

"Well, you were a bit loud, Sunshine."

"I tend to be when I'm angry." I sigh.

"You didn't have to answer the phone." Danny points out.

"She wouldn't have stopped until I did. Remember how I left my phone here after Stephen died?"

"Yeah, I do. Couldn't sleep for about four days because it kept ringing in the night."

"Well, that was Jenny."

"Jenny Lewis?"

"Yes, why?"

"No reason." Danny says, in an attempt to sound disinterested.

"Hm. Really." I say, unimpressed. I stand. As I do, I hear a loud bleeping.

"It's your thingy."

"I'm not going."

"Al-"

"I'm not. You can if you want, but I'm staying here." I tell him, turning to go up the stairs. I hear him mumble something and turn back. "What was that?"

"Nothing, nothing. I'm going to go. Don't do anything stupid." Danny says, picking up my handheld anomaly detector from the kitchen table.

"What, like run away?" I ask, hoping it'll make Danny smile. It does.

I edge around the cardboard boxes that are obstacles in my path from the stairs to my room. It's still so little-girlish. Danny never really bothered to change it, and now there's no point. The most he changed was getting me a bigger bed once my feet started dangling off the edge of the old one. But this room, of all the rooms I've slept in, is the one that hurts the most. It still has pictures on the wall. Danny and Stephen, much much younger. Nick too. I avoid these pictures. I took some of them, but I don't want to look at them. 

I find my eyes drawn to a photograph of a little girl and a little boy. The girl's hair is brown from chocolate. It's meant to be blonde. Both of the children's clothes are covered in chocolate too. The boy's hair has been turned from black curls to mounds of whipped cream, including a fluffy white moustache. My hand lashes out and snatches the picture off the wall. My other hand finds a picture I'm not really looking at. When I hear the door downstairs I shove the pictures in my pocket and bound back down the stairs. But it's not Danny. Just next door's cat looking for food.

***

I lie on my bed, staring at the ceiling, at the glow-in-the-dark butterflies Paddy had made for me. I'd come here from school one day and found them all over the pale yellow ceiling. I turn onto my stomach and scroll through my phone, checking messages. Jenny, Jenny, Jenny, Jenny and, hey, Jenny again. And again. Jeez. There's one from Lester too, though I suspect it was sent by his wife. Abby sends me updates on Connor and time-lapses of plants in her lab. She knows I won't answer, but she knows I'll look at everything she sends. Sarah seems to have decided against talking about Nick at all and instead sends me pictures of puppies or frogs which I will admit that I like. I'm looking at one of a frog when my phone dings again. Becker. Every day, once a day, he sends me something. Always at the time he's taking the register. Always the same message. He seems to be worried.

_I mean, it's his job to worry, right?_ I think.

I can almost hear his voice in my head,

_It is not my job to worry, it's my job to protect you and I can't do that if I can't see you. So stay close._

_Yeah right, Action Man_

***

"Someone broke into Jenny's car." Danny says as he comes in. "I'm pretty sure I've seen his picture somewhere. Journalist?"

"Mick Harper. Yeah, he's been sniffing round since the mammoth on the M25."

"Mammoth on the...you never told me about that!"

"Uh, Official Secrets Act."

"Which you've already broken by telling me everything else."

"Well, not everything...."

"Alexandra, what are you hiding?"

"Official Secrets Act! Tell me about the anomaly." I say quickly, knowing it'll distract him. Danny shrugs.

"Didn't see it. They went in, came out about twenty minutes later. Just before they came out the journalist smashed in Jenny's car window and took the detector. They all seemed quite annoyed, actually. Before they even came out of the building, I mean."

"Okay. Give me the address, I'll see what I can do." I say. He makes me eat lunch first. By the time I actually get to the scrap of paper he's written the postcode on, I hear the loud bleeping again. Danny picks it up.

"Another one. Come on."

"I'm not going." I tell him.

"Alex."

"You're the one who keeps saying don't go back till I'm ready. And I'm not ready."

"Fine." Danny replies, his voice a strange mixture of disappointment and stubbornness. "But you know that at some point they're going to need you. And if you're not there and something happens...well, that's on you."

"I'm not going. If you're leaving, leave!"

"I do not appreciate that tone, Alexandra Louise Hart."

"Oh shut up, Danny. Piss off."

_Don't push him away, Starlight._

"You piss off too."

***

The voice coming through the phone sounds strange. I sit alone at the kitchen table, listening to it.

_You listen to me, Sunshine, and you listen right now. Your mates need you. I don't think they can manage this one, and I'm not much help. Alex. They need you. Help them._

***

**Abby**

A motorbike zooms towards us as Connor opens the door of the car.

"What are they doing?" he asks, tripping towards a luggage cart.

"Who are they?" I ask as it stops, right in between Connor and the luggage cart. The person on the bike points at Connor, then my car. "Sorry, but you're going to have to leave!" I call.

"Yeah. Dangerous prehistoric creature, you know."

"Connor!"

"What? They can see it!"

The person slides off their bike and shoves Connor.

"Oi, oi you ca-" he stops abruptly. I can hear a muffled voice, a quiet thump. Connor turns from them as they get back onto their bike. "Abby, drive." he says simply as he gets back into the car and closes the door.

"What?"

"Drive! Get onto the grass and get to the others. Just do it."

"But Connor-"

"Go!" he says, nodding to the window. I look out of it to see the motorbike speeding down the runway.

When we reach the others we tumble out. I'm hardly on my feet before I hear two voices,

"What the hell are they playing at?"

"Connor, who is that?" I ask, grabbing his arm. But he doesn't answer.

"What are they doing?" Jenny asks as we watch the G-Rex follow the motorbike.

"They're causing a diversion." I say.

"They're helping us?" Becker asks.

"Looks like it."

"But who are they?" Jenny asks.

"I don't know." I tell her. Connor says nothing as I stare at him, waiting for him to tell us. But he's staring down the runway at the motorbike, not letting his eyes leave it for a second. "Connor?" All of us are looking at him now. He's stepped forward, almost out of the shelter of the plane. And finally, finally, he speaks.

"It's Andy."

It's as he says it, as our heads turn towards him, that the dinosaur catches up with the biker. Catches up with Alex. The motorbike goes flying. So does she. I hear the bike crash on the ground. Then the crack of her helmet against the tarmac.

"Oh my God." Jenny breathes. I don't think I can breathe. Connor is silent again. But I can hear a quiet voice somewhere beside me.

"Get up. Get up, Alex, get up."

I can feel the G-Rex's footsteps getting closer and closer to her. She's not moving.

"Come on, Alex."

She's still not moving as the dinosaur lowers its head. It's going to eat her, I know it.

"For God's sake, Alex, wake up!" the words burst out of me in a tiny hiss. She has no hope of hearing me. But it's almost as if she does hear me. More likely it's the rancid smell of the dinosaur's breath. I can just about see her stirring. I can almost feel her sudden rush of panic as she realises that she's about to be lunch. I can see her scooting back, pushing herself up onto her elbows.

_Close your eyes, _ _Al_ _. Close your eyes and stay still. For Christ's sake, stay still._

"Gun! Where's your gun!" Becker hisses. If I'm hurting Connor's arm, he doesn't show any sign of pain. But I can't seem to make myself let go of him. The four of us stand frozen under the plane. Frozen, until a helicopter appears out of seemingly nowhere, distracting the G-Rex from Alex. As it steps away from her she turns onto her hands and knees before yanking her helmet off.

"Blood. There's blood." Jenny breathes. She's right. Red stains Alex's blonde hair as she throws the helmet aside. She stands, wobbles, and falls. This is what makes me move, makes me turn and run to the car. Connor has dived into the back seat just in time as I move the car beside where Becker and Jenny are standing.

"Get in."

When we reach Alex, she's at least upright. Her hand is on the back of her head as a door is flung open. She stands, wobbling a little, frowning until Becker gives up waiting and just yanks her in, slamming the door as she lands on top of him.

"Alright?" he asks.

"Head hurts. Con...Concuss...what's the word?" she asks.

"Concussion." I say.

"Yeah, that."

"Is that bad?" Connor asks. I glance up to the mirror to see Jenny glaring at him.

"Idiot." she hisses. "Alex, why are you here?"

"Figured you'd need a hand. Danny called, told me you were in trouble."

"Danny?"

"Yeah, Danny Quinn."

"What sort of lunatic is he?" I hear Becker ask before I hear a noise of pain.

"He's not a lunatic." Alex says.

"Why do you care?"

"Alright, girls, calm down." Connor says.

"Shut up, Temple!" they snap at the same time.

"I think he's trying to lead it back to the hangar." Jenny says, pulling our attention back to the G-Rex. "Connor, did you lock the anomaly?"

"Oh yes." Connor says, sounding incredibly proud of himself. There's silence, then, "Oh no. Get back to the hangar, quick as you can." he says before pointing out the window. "There, here!" he shouts. There's a sharp bump as the wheels of my car hit the grass.

"Ow, Alex that's my-"

"Don't finish that sentence. Don't say anything. I know."

"Oh great."

"What?" I ask, confused. Alex tries to turn.

"Stop." Becker tells her, hands grabbing her waist and ceasing all movement. "Just stop, Alex." she pulls a face and suddenly I understand.

"Don't laugh. You laugh, I laugh and it makes everything so much worse." she tells me.

***

**Alex**

I'm standing in silent shock in front of the anomaly. Danny's gone through. He isn't answering the radio.

"We need to lock it again."

"He might be alive."

"We can't take that risk."

Becker and Jenny are arguing. Brilliant. Just brilliant.

_We can't take that risk._

I turn sharply.

"Yes we bloody well can." I tell Becker.

"Alexandra, you stay out of this." he tells me.

"No I will not. Our job is to save people. Giving him a chance is saving him. Do your job."

"My job is to protect this team and I-"

"Will do as I say. I'm in charge here and I agree with Alex." Jenny interrupts. "He gets a minute." she says. I feel a great rush of relief before I return the glare Becker's giving me.

"Well I think you're making a big mistake." he snaps at Jenny before turning to me and asking, "What is he to you, anyway? Why do you care so much? He's been nothing but trouble."

"Danny Quinn is all I have. If you so much as take a step towards that locking device I will run through that anomaly to find him. So calm down and back off, Captain." There's silence. Complete silence. Until I hear Jenny's voice again.

"Okay, do it."

"No!"

Connor turns to his device as I whip round to Jenny.

"You can't!"

"I am." she says without looking at me. I don't think. I turn to try and run through the anomaly. It's Abby that catches my arm.

"There's something coming through." she tells me.

"Lock it!" I hear Becker shout.

"No! It could be Danny!" I say, even as I hear dinosaur roars. Connor's about to slam his hand on the button that will supposedly lock the anomaly when,

"Wait!" it's Jenny that shouts. My head snaps back to the anomaly. Danny's stumbling through it, landing on the floor.

"There's a herd of them, and they're coming." he says.

"Connor!"

"I can't lock it with him in the way!"

I'm moving before the others are, dragging Danny to his feet. But dizziness still has hold of me and I topple back to the floor. I feel Jenny's hand under my arm, pulling me backwards as the roars get louder. Connor slams his hand on the button and the anomaly...the anomaly goes into a little ball, just like he said it had at the British Museum. Nothing comes through it. It's locked. Connor's done it.

"So what did you do with the helicopter?" Jenny asks.

"I'll just nip back and get it, shall I?" Danny says. I fling my arms around him and hug him to me.

"Idiot, idiot, idiot!"

"I didn't do anything you wouldn't do, Sunshine."

***

**Becker**

When Alex emerges from the hangar next to the one containing the anomaly, she's lugging a massive bag.

"Alex? Quick question?"

"Right, brief history, I had three guardians, Danny's the only one left." she says simply.

"No, not about that." I say, though I appreciate the explanation.

"You want to know where I've been staying." she says, and I frown.

"How did you-"

"I'm observant. It's even on my file as a special skill." she says this as if it's a line she's had to repeat many times before.

"Oh yeah. Forgot that."

"I've been staying with Danny." she's still not looking at me.

"Look, I didn't mean to yell, I was j-"

"Just doing your job, I know. It's alright." she says, and she smiles at me.

"Where are you going?" I ask, nodding at the bag over her shoulder.

"I, uh, don't know yet. Danny's moving, so I have to clear out. I'm not sure where I'm going to go. I can't go back to the house, not yet."

"It's too painful." I say quietly. Alex looks at me, slightly confused.

"Yes." her voice is quiet and her gaze is calculating, as if my words have somehow changed how she sees me. "But I'm not sure where else I can go. Abby's brother's coming down to live with her for a while so she has to kick Connor out. Lester would faint at the thought of letting any of us live with him, Jenny hasn't got the space and Sarah's in-between places right now. I don't want to bother my other friends right now." she lists names and places like she's been thinking about little else in the last few days. "I suppose I could ask Duncan, but I don't even know where he is now." she adds, eyes now not even seeing me, her mind elsewhere.

"You could stay with me." I don't know why I say it. "If you wanted to. There's a spare room at my place."

"You don't have to do that." she says instantly, eyes refocusing on me.

"It would stop Jenny worrying so much if she knew where you were. Would be easier to get to work, too."

"Which is the long way of saying you don't have to but you are."

"I suppose so."

There's silence. Then,

"Yeah, alright then, Action Man. Can you give me a lift there though? Cause my bike's kinda wrecked." Alex says, a half-smile creeping up on her. I just nod, and her smile grows. "Cool. Just let me go tell Danny." she's gone in a second. I'm still not sure why I've just offered my spare room to her. I don't know why she accepted. She's left her bag on the ground, so I pick it up. It is surprisingly heavy. When she comes back, she's pulling her hood over her blood-stained hair. She doesn't say a word about me carrying the bag, but she gives me a strange look as we start walking. "Don't you have to do some soldiery stuff before you go?" she asks, falling into step beside me.

"Jenny said I could go. I apologised to her too."

"That's good. Apologising is always good." Alex nods, shoving one hand in her pocket. She smiles unexpectedly and shakes a finger at me. "Now if I'm going to stay with you I expect no funny business like in Abby's car."

"That was an accident." I say immediately.

"That's what they all say." Alex says triumphantly.

"And entirely your fault."

"What are you trying to tell me?"

"Oh shut up."

"Never." she tells me, skipping forward and pulling the car door open.

"Hey, Alex? You know what might have been really helpful today? Inches from death?" I ask, shoving her bag in the bag of the car before moving to stand in front of her. 

"What?" she asks.

"A gun." I say, holding out a handgun. "Carry a gun with you. It'll save someone's life." I tell her, smiling.

***

**Alex**

It's only when I'm sitting on the spare bed in Becker's flat that I think about my predicament. I really don't have anywhere to live right now. Not until I can bear to be in the Cutter house again. As I start to fiddle with the new rip in my jeans, I hear a crinkle. Searching the pockets, I find two photographs. The ones I'd shoved in there while I was at Danny's. They're creased now. I flatten them out, rubbing at the lines. Ten-year-old chocolate-and-whipped-cream-covered Alex and Paddy grin up at me. I put this one down and look at the other photograph in my hands. My guardians. Stephen, Nick, Danny. They look so young. So...unburdened. As if there's nothing troubling them in the world. 

I miss them. I miss seeing them like this. I miss calling them stupid old men. I miss accidentally calling Stephen 'Dad', and the pure joy that would take over his face every time I did it. I miss calling Nick 'Mum' when he was telling me off, just to make him laugh.

I'll never get to do those things again. 

But I can make them proud of me.

I can stop sulking and actually do something about the shit that's happening. I can stop be angry and I can help. I can do what they would want me to do. I can do anything. I can save the fucking world.

_Damn right you can, Starlight_


	18. Interlude

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alex and Becker are good friends with his next door neighbour and her family, so they pop up a few times in the story, so I thought I'd better just put a little bonus chapter in here introducing them

**Alex**

There's an old lady living in the flat next to Becker's. She's called Mrs Foster, and it didn't take her long to realise I was living here. The first time I saw her was about three days after I came here. I'd been half asleep on the sofa, able to see the door when Becker opened it. Mrs Foster had been standing there, a little box in her hands. She'd walked in the moment the door was open.

"Some cakes." she'd said, holding the box out.

"Mrs Foster, you know-"

"For your friend." she'd added.

"Ah. Right."

"How is she? She looked rather ill when I saw her the other day."

"She's alright, Mrs Foster. Just tired."

"And...and who is she, dear?"

"Mrs Foster..."

"You know I worry, Hilary."

"I know you do. You worry about an ex-Special Ops soldier." Silence for a moment, in which Mrs Foster shot him a look.

"I worry." she'd repeated.

"I work for her." Becker had said. Then, catching Mrs Foster's look, he'd added, "She just needs somewhere to stay for a while, so I'm letting her stay here."

"Quite right too. She seems very nice, dear." Mrs Foster had smiled then, and held out the box of cakes again. "Like I said, these are for your friend. What's her name?"

"Alex."

"These are for Alex. I'll be off now, Hilary."

Mrs Foster had left then, and Becker had taken the box of cakes into the kitchen. A sleepy smile had crept over my face.

"Hilary." I'd mumbled.

"Shut up."

***

Several weeks later, there's a knock on the door. I open it, expecting Mrs Foster.

"Melanie?"

"Alex. Hi."

Melanie, the pregnant woman from the Diictodon anomaly, was standing there, her baby on her hip.

"Uh, hi." I say, stepping backwards a little. "Do you want to come in?" Mrs Foster follows her in. 

_Uh.....what?_

"Hi, Mrs Foster."

"Alex, how are you?"

"I'm...I'm just fine." I tell her. A little confused, but fine. She hands me a bag of biscuits. She always brings things she's baked or cooked when she visits. I have learned not to try and refuse anything she gives me. She sees the confusion on my face.

"Alex, this is my daughter Melanie. She said she'd met a girl called Alex at the hospital when she had Stanley and I just knew it had to be you." Mrs Foster tells me before looking at Melanie. "I'll be right back, Melanie. I just need to take some cakes out of the oven." Mrs Foster is gone before either of us can say anything.

"Oh. Kay." I mumble.

"Sorry, Mum's a bit forward. She said she was going to introduce me to a friend, I didn't expect you." Melanie tells me.

"A nice surprise though." I tell her, smiling. "Tea?"

"That'd be great, actually." she says. The kettle's already boiling, I'd been planning some tea for myself.

"How are you doing?" I ask, putting a cup down on the coffee table. Melanie smiles, her nervousness leaving her.

"Alright. I mean, apart from lack of sleep because of him." she says it cheerily enough. As if on cue, Stanley gurgles, which makes us laugh. "Do you mind holding him so I can drink this?" she asks, nodding at the mug.

"Of course. Two seconds." I tell her before turning and walking towards the bathroom. I can hear the shower. I kick the door, knowing kicking will be louder than knocking, and call, "Becker! Visitors!" I tie my hair up before I take Stanley from Melanie. "I didn't know Mrs Foster had any children."

"Just me." Melanie tells me, "Which means she's spoiling Stanley rotten. It's nice though, she helps a lot. Did you say Becker? Wasn't that the soldier that was with you? Does he live here too?"

"Well, it's his flat. I'm just camping out here for a while." I tell her. Well, it's not really camping out. I tend to get too comfortable in places too quickly. It tends to annoy people when I slide into their homes so easily, but I get the feeling Becker's more relieved than annoyed that I'm comfortable here, around him. "Are you staying with your mum?" I ask Melanie.

"Yeah, I've been with her for ages now. It was easier for work, and now it's easier with the baby."

Melanie, she tells me to call her Mel, and I chat for about fifteen minutes before Mrs Foster comes back. I hand Stanley back to her so I can answer the door. Mrs Foster comes in lugging a baby bag. 

"Mum, what are you doing?" Mel asks as she moves to stand beside me. 

"We're going out, dear. Remember?" Mrs Foster asks. Mel shakes her head. 

"Mum, I told you, I can't. The babysitter cancelled." 

"Mel, you haven't left the flat since the baby was born. You need a break." Mrs Foster tells her daughter. Mel sighs, shifting Stanley to her other hip. 

"It's not like we can take him with us though, Mum." she says. Mrs Foster looks to me. 

"I'm sure Alex can watch him for a few hours." she says. Mel turns to me, obviously torn. I'm not sure what to say.

"Would you?" Mel asks.

"I mean, of course, but...are you sure?" I ask. Mel smiles. 

"I trust you, Alex." she tells me. I'm surprised, honestly. Mrs Foster smiles, putting the baby bag down on the ground. 

"We'll be out for a few hours. I'll come and collect him when we get home." she tells me. 

"If you're absolutely sure, Mel." I say. Mel hesitates, then nods. 

"Yes. I trust you, and mum's right, I need a break." she kisses Stanley's forehead. "Thank you." she whispers. She smiles at her mother as they leave, laughing at something she says.

"What was that you said about visitors?" Becker asks.

"You took your damn time." I say, turning.

"Alex? Why do you have a baby?"

"Because Mrs Foster and Mel were here. Melanie from the hospital anomaly. She's Mrs Foster's daughter. They're going out and the babysitter cancelled."

"But why do you have the baby?"

"Because I'm the new babysitter?"

"You're _what?_"

***

Stanley is a relatively easy baby. He's sleepy, but not cranky, which is brilliant and just a little bit of a miracle. Becker refuses to hold him. Which means I have to carry him around while doing all my tasks. I don't mind it too much though, it means I get to order Becker around more than usual. Everything is fine until Stanley is halfway through his bottle. Then, everything changes. Because he's sick on me.

"Fudge." I mutter, reminding myself not to swear just in time. "Sugar Honey Ice Tea." then, lifting Stanley as far away from me as I can, "Becker!"

"What?" he asks before he sees me. Then, "Shi-"

"Baby!"

"Shiitake mushrooms?"

"You've seen Spy Kids?"

"What happened?"

"No, hang on. You've seen Spy Kids."

"Concentrate, Alexandra."

"Have you seen all of them? Which one's your favourite? Personally-"

"Alexandra Louise-"

"Alright, alright. He was sick." I tell him.

"What do you want me to do?"

"Uh, take him. I need to change."

"No."

"What?"

"No!"

"Oh come on, Soldier Boy. It's a baby."

"I said no."

"I mean, I could just stink out your flat and stain your sofa forever, your choice." I say, starting to stand up. I cringe horribly as baby sick tracks its way down the back of my shirt. "Hey, look, it's already on the floor." I add cheerfully. "Look, I'll change him first." I leave before anything else can be said, pulling the t-shirt I'm wearing over an old long sleeved top off. Looks like it'll never be white again. Stanley is changed and giggling again within a minute, and I march back into the living room. "Here, take him."

"No!" Becker says, scooting backwards.

"For God's sake, Hilary. He's a baby, not a bomb." I sigh.

"Don't call me Hilary." he snaps.

"Then take Stanley, Hilary."

"No."

"I am your superior officer and I order you to take the darn baby." I tell him. I hear quiet grumbling. "Becker..." I start.

"Alright, fine."

"Great!" I say, stepping forward and shoving Stanley at him.

"Hang on, I don't know how-"

"You're doing it." I say, and he is. Quite naturally, he's taken hold of the baby. "See? Fine. Hold onto his head so he doesn't topple. Now just make sure he doesn't die before I come back."

"Alex? No, don't leave me with him! Alex! Alexandra Louise Hart get back here now!"

As usual, I don't do as I'm told.

***

Mrs Foster comes back later than I expected her too. Mel isn't with her.

"I told her to just go to bed, dear. Were you alright?" she asks.

"Yes, everything was fine. Just fine. He's very good, actually." I tell her, walking along to her flat as I carry the baby bag. She's carrying a fast-asleep Stanley.

"Thank you. Thank you so much."

"Of course. Anytime at all. I'd love to help." I tell her. When I get back to Becker's flat the first thing I hear is,

"You offered to babysit again, didn't you?"

"Yes, I did." I say, and I hear a loud sigh.

"Why the bloody hell would you do that?"

"Because being a single parent with an elderly relative is very difficult, and they'll need help."

"What, so we're just renting out my flat now?"

"No, we're going to babysit every so often."

"_We?"_

"Yes-"I'm about to say more, but then I see Becker and start laughing. He just looks confused.

"Alex?" he asks. I snort.

"You...you've got a bit...a little something..." I manage to say, and he looks down while I continue laughing.

Stanley seems to have been sick again. All down Becker's front.


	19. Cold As Ice

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Ehh...don't know about the little bit at the beginning. But I like it, so I'm keeping it. Probably)

**Becker**

There is silence in the car for a few minutes before Alex speaks. 

"Hilary." she says quietly. "That's your first name. Why don't you like it?" 

"I just don't." I tell her. 

"Hilary James Becker." she says. 

"How do you know my full name?" 

"I read your file, Action Man. I have to read all new team members files." she explains. She says my name again, "Hilary James. Do you know what it means?" 

"Do you?" 

"Well, Hilary means 'cheerful', and James means 'one that follows'. So you, Action Man, are the cheerful one who follows." she tells me, obviously trying to contain laughter. 

"Are you serious?" I ask, turning my head to look at her as she snorts, nodding. "How do you even know that?" I ask once she's calmed down a little. 

"I don't know, I just like seeing if someone's name matches them. Like...like Abby, her name means 'gives joy', Sarah means 'princess', Connor means 'strong-willed' or 'wise'" I laugh at that at the same time as she does. 

"What does your name mean?" I ask. She sighs. 

"You'll think I'm making it up." 

"No I won't." she hesitates. 

"Alexandra means 'defender of man'. And Louise means 'famous warrior' or 'renowned fighter'." 

"Well, you're certainly that, Alex." I tell her. And I mean it. She smiles, but it's tainted with sadness. 

"Thank you, Action Man."

***

_Season 3, Episode 5_

**Alex**

I'm in the armoury with Becker when the intruder alarm go off, so I run with him down the corridor that is now lined with our soldiers, guns in hand. Jenny appears behind us. 

"Talk to me." she says. 

"We have an intruder in Sector 7." Becker tells her. 

"No identification yet." I add. I hear Connor's voice. 

"Is it small and ugly in a kind of cute way? Just guessing." he says. I groan. I know Connor's looking after the Diictodons, and that he's sleeping at the ARC while Abby's brother is in town, even though I had told him he could stay at the house. 

"Connor, you didn't..." I start. I hear Jenny ask,

"Helen?" 

"No, she's too dramatic." I tell her. 

"Prepare to shoot on sight." Becker orders. The door bursts open and I put my gun down. 

"Danny!" I knew he wouldn't be able to stay away. 

"I don't believe it." Jenny says. 

"You really need to do something about your security." Danny says, smiling at me as Becker raises an eyebrow, not lowering his gun. I put my hand on it and push it down. He looks at me. 

"Don't shoot the only dad I have left, Action Man."

***

Danny sits in a chair in front of Lester's desk. Jenny stands one side of him, Becker the other, me behind him. 

"How the hell did you get in?" Lester asks. 

"Jumped the perimeter fence and kicked in a fire door. It was easy." Danny tells him. 

"I've come into work that way." I say, and Lester looks at me, surprised. He shakes his head and looks at Danny again. 

"What the hell are you doing here?" he asks him. 

"It's my ambition to fight dinosaurs, save the world." Danny tells him. I snort, earning a glare from Jenny. "Look, I just want to help, that's all." 

"I warned you to stay away from this, Danny." Jenny says. 

"See, I thought you were flirting." he says. I roll my eyes. 

"You did not." I say. Lester looks at Becker. 

"Can you pistol whip him?" he asks. 

"Lester!" 

"Just a thought." he tells me. "You could do it if you liked." Lester stands. "Mr Quinn." he begins. 

"It's Danny." Danny tells him. 

"Mr Quinn." Lester repeats firmly. "The fate of the nation, possibly the world, hangs on what we do here. It's not a place for chancers and wide boys." Danny's face becomes serious. 

"My brother was killed by a creature. Don't ask me to pretend it didn't happen. You've seen what I can do, and I want in."

***

Becker keeps hold of Danny as we walk to the ops room. 

"You're going nowhere until we decide what to do with you." Becker tells him. 

"Let him go, Becker. It's not like he's going to run off. Even if he does, I can catch him and he knows it." I tell him. Becker lets Danny go, nudging him towards a chair. 

"Don't get too comfortable." he says. Immediately, Danny relaxes, leaning backwards and stretching his arms out on the table behind him. I jump up and sit on the table. Connor comes into the room, half-squatting, obviously looking for something. I know exactly what. 

"Con, you idiot, why did you bring them here? You could have stayed at the house and left them there while you're working." I say. Connor shrugs. 

"What are you talking about?" Becker asks. Connor catches sight of Danny. 

"Karma must really work, eh, Danny? It's not too long ago you had me banged up. Look at you now." Connor says. Becker watches as Connor waddles around, a frown on his face.

"The fact that I saved your life doesn't win me any credit?" Danny asks. 

"No." 

"What's that machine do then?" Danny asks, indicating the ADD. Connor stands. 

"You're not even supposed to be looking at that machine." he says, waving an arm at it. "It's top secret." he looks at me and Becker. "Innit?" he asks. We nod, identically serious looks on our faces. "But it is brilliant." Connor continues, "And, you know, it's completely unique. I bet you're wondering who invented it." 

If Danny can't guess, I will be very disappointed. He shakes his head anyway, playing along. Connor puts on an attempt at a French accent. 

"Le Connor Temple." he says proudly. 

"What?" Danny asks, confused. Connor's face falls a little. 

"Connor Temple. That's...that's...I invented it." 

I don't hear what else the others say because a woman walks up to me, a big cardboard box in her hands. 

"Lily." I smile. "What can I do for you?" she holds up the box. 

"These are Cutter's things." she tells me, and my smile melts. "You're the closest thing he had to family and-" I hold up a hand, stopping her. 

"Give them to Jenny." I tell her. Lily frowns but turns and walks out of the ops room. I bend my head for a moment. When I look up, Connor is standing at the ADD, two frayed ends of a cable in his hands. Shit. Sid. I know Connor has come to the same conclusion. I see Lester coming down the slope before Connor does. I slide off the table. 

"Lester, before you shout at me, I'm really sorry." Connor says. "I'll get the hard-drive memory back up and running in seconds." 

"At the risk of sounding like someone from the Old Testament." Lester starts, "Is there any sane reason why you're keeping animals in the ARC?" he demands. I dart towards the ADD as the alarm goes off. 

"We must have missed an anomaly when it was offline." Connor says. 

"It closed an hour ago. I'll get the location." I tell him. 

"Yes, would you do that? Because it would be extremely helpful!" Lester says angrily. 

"Excuse me?" I ask. "Would you like to repeat that, James?" his face changes. "Thought not." I mutter as I turn the chair again. I hear a voice behind me. 

"Sir, Christine Johnson is here to see you." 

I'd been told about Johnson. About the anomaly that had appeared, that she had denied. She knew all about us. About me. She had asked about me. She had said she wanted to meet me. I had researched, found out everything I could about her. I had decided that I never wanted to speak to her. I move to stand between Becker and Danny, out of sight.

"Nothing wrong I hope, James." Johnson says, shaking Lester's hand. Lester turns, looking at each of us in turn. His eyes land on me and Becker. 

"Do we know where Jenny is?" he asks. 

"No, sir." we say together. 

"Could you find her for me, please?" he asks. The two of us smile identical smiles, not looking at Johnson. 

"Yes, sir." 

Lester raises his eyebrows. 

"Now?" Becker asks. 

"Now." Lester says. 

***

Connor, Sarah and I stand at the window of the lab. The fungus is all over everything inside it. 

"Just look at those plants." I sigh. 

"Abby is so going to kill me." Connor mutters. 

"Yep." Sarah says. Connor turns from the window. I look up to see something crawl into the open vent. A Diictodon. 

"Sid?" I ask aloud. I turn to tell Connor, but he's already gone. "Great. Now I have to go back in." I mutter, pulling the sleeves of the biohazard suit I still had on back up. "This day just keeps getting better."

I push the door open, closing it carefully behind me. I look up at Sid in the vent, the cover knocked off. 

"Sid. What are you doing? Stop messing about." I tell him as he gurgles. I walk towards him, climbing on top of the little freezers so I can reach him. He turns around just as I reach him. "Sid, don't you dare!" he dares, and, just as I reach him, takes off down the vent. My foot moves backwards and I hear something glass smash on the floor. I twist my head and, to my horror, the fungus on the floor is growing again. I'd knocked over a tube of the saline solution. I look up to see both Sarah and Connor at the window, horror on their faces. I look down again to see the fungus creeping up the small freezer I was on. I shuffle backwards as far as I can. 

"Andy, get out of there!" Connor shout. 

"I can't." I say, only just realising it myself. If I touch the fungus, I'll be dead within minutes. If I open the door, it'll get out. I look back up, through the window. "We thought it was ash. It wasn't. It isn't. It's spores. Millions of them. If I open that door and it gets into the ARC, we're finished." I call, trying to get away from it.

"So fire won't kill it." Sarah realises aloud. 

"You need to get on the phone to Jenny now! If they burn it, it'll spread quicker. It'll spread through half of London before we know it." I tell her.

***

The fungus is creeping ever further towards me. I'm as far away from it as possible, which isn't far enough. Lester walks up to the glass. 

"What is it now?" he asks in a bored voice before he sees me, sees the fungus, and his face becomes worried. I look back down, desperately trying to move my feet away from it. 

"Heat. It likes heat. So, logically..." I mutter. I see a piece of pipe and grabbed it, using it to push open the door of the freezer I'm standing on. As the fungus touches the cold, it shrinks and begins to die. "Connor, we can freeze it!" I call. "Turn the temperature down as far as it can go!" Connor glances at Sarah and Lester. 

"What about you? You'll freeze to death." Sarah says. I look at Connor. 

"Con, do it." I tell him. He hesitates. "Do it, Sergeant Nerd, that's an order. I'll be fine."

***

Ice is creeping up the walls. I'm bent, hugging myself, leaning against the wall. I look at Sarah. 

"Keep going." I tell her. She moves back to the thermostat, returning to the window a few seconds later. I falter and slide down the wall, my teeth chattering as I try to breathe. I'm shaking from the cold. After a moment, I become still, all my concentration on trying to breathe, trying to keep my eyes open. My knees are at my chest, my arms around them. My head is bent and resting on top of them. I see the fungus shrinking, dying. I put all my strength into pushing my hand up into the air. Within seconds I'm dragged out of the lab and propped against a wall, shaking. 

"Where's those blankets? Come on!" I hear Sarah shout. 

"Andy?" I hear Connor ask at the same time as Lester asks, 

"Alex?" 

I manage to lift my head as tin foil and blankets are wrapped around me.

"The cold may never have bothered Elsa, but she could have thought of other people." I manage to say, "Cause that was not fun."

***

I walk with Connor out of the ops room as he holds his phone out, talking to Danny. 

"That's pretty much everybody out now. We're dropping the temperature in the main room. You need to hold the creature until we're ready." Connor tells him. 

_No problem. Hey, is Alex there? Is she okay?_ Danny asks. 

"I'm fine. When we give the word, Danny, release the creature." I say. 

"We need to get it into the main operations are so we can freeze it." Connor tells him.

_You make it sound so simple._ Danny says sarcastically. 

"Listen, Danny, we're going to need some more time. About five minutes or so." I tell him.

_You've got it._ There's a sudden crashing noise._ How about thirty seconds?_

"What?" Connor and I ask together, stopping in our tracks. There's a long pause.

_We've lost it._

"What?" Connor and I ask again. I hear Jenny's voice in the background.

_Well, on a positive note, at least we've got it in the building._ she says.

_Oh yeah, no, it's definitely in the building. We just don't know exactly where._ There's a metallic clang as Danny finishes speaking and he ends the call. I swear.

***

The others come running down the hallway. 

"Guys, listen up, the creature's going to be hiding somewhere dark. We need find it, force it down this corridor, through those doors." Connor tells them. 

"How do we do that?" Abby asks. 

"Freezing carbon dioxide." I say, handing Danny a fire extinguisher. 

"Whatever you do, don't touch it." Connor warns. 

"I wasn't planning on shaking hands with it." Danny tells him as he passes an extinguisher to Sarah. He, Sarah, Becker and Jenny start heading down the corridor. 

"There's two extinguishers in the ops area." Abby tells me as Connor runs after the others. I nod and follow her through the door. I have dragon's breath as I breathe. Abby and I pause at the sudden cold. "Temperature is dropping. And fast." she remarks. "Right, let's find these fire extinguishers and get out of here." I nod and head for the other side of the room. We each find one and are heading for the door when my phone rings. I put my fire extinguisher down and pull it out of my pocket. Abby pauses too. 

"Go ahead." I tell her. She nods and leaves the room as I answer the phone. "Danny, hi."

_ Sunshine, good news. It's heading directly to the operations room._ he say. I freeze, and it has nothing to do with the temperature. 

"But I'm still in here." 

_Alex get out of there. Get out of there, now!_

My phone slips from my hand as I hear a roar. It's already too late.

**Becker**

We all spill into the observation room next to the ops room, Lester following us. Abby's there. Alex isn't. Something like dread runs through me. 

"What's going on?" Connor asks. Abby doesn't answer, but stares at the window. We all crowd around her. Alex is in there, firing her fire extinguisher at the creature, shaking. "The creature's searching for heat." Connor realises. 

"But it's freezing in there!" Abby cries. 

"It's Alex's body heat." Danny says. "It's drawing it towards her." I can't speak. I'm scared. Really scared. I press a hand to the window as if, if I push hard enough, I can reach through it and grab her, pull her to safety. Alex's extinguisher runs out as she starts wobbling on her feet, her eyes half-closed. 

"No." I mutter "No." 

"Andy, Andy, no." Connor breathes. 

"Alex." Sarah says as Alex wobbles once more. 

"No no no no, stay on your feet, Andy!" Connor cries. Alex falls against a crate, half-propped up against it. Danny turns away from the window. I hit the glass. 

"Alex." Jenny's voice is so quiet that I almost can't hear her. "I promised."

"It's going to kill her." Connor says. 

"Turn off the cold air!" Lester orders. 

"The creature's not dead yet." Sarah protests. 

"Alex will die if we don't!" Abby cries. I watch, unable to help, as the creature creeps towards Alex's barely moving body. Her breathing is getting slower, more laboured. She draws the fire extinguisher to her, lifting it to try and hit the creature. She doesn't have enough strength left and her arms drop, the extinguisher falling to her side. 

"Alex. Alex, no. Get up, Alex." it takes me a moment to realise I've said the words. Danny turns back to the window as the creature reaches out an arm, reaching for Alex. 

"Give me a minute." he mutters.

**Danny**

I burst through the doors of the ops room, yelling and whistling, firing off my extinguisher. Trying to get its attention. It isn't turning away from Alex so I go up to it, as close as I dare. It turns then. It tries to hit me but I dodge out of the way. I hit it with the extinguisher and start walking backwards, leading it away from Alex. My extinguisher stops working so I throw it away. 

I'm getting seriously cold now, but so is the creature. It's slowing down, beginning to freeze. I look to Alex. She's lying still. Deathly still, her eyes open. Unmoving. Not breathing. Her nose is red from the cold.

Finally, the creature freezes and turned to dust. I run to Alex before the dust has settled, moving to pick her up. 

"No, don't touch her!" Connor shouts. 

"What?" two voices ask the question. I don't take the time to recognize the other voice, busy staring at Connor. Doesn't he understand? Alex is either dead or dying and the longer we leave her here the less of a chance she has. 

"The only chance she's got is if the cold kills the fungus." Connor explains, more calmly. "We wait. Okay?" so I wait. The fungus isn't slowing down at all. It's nearly over half of her face. We're watching it grow stronger as Alex dies.

I move again to pick her up, to take her out of here, anything, but Connor pushes me back. 

"No!" I yell. 

"Danny, listen to me!" Connor says. 

"It's killing her!" 

"I know. But if we take her out now she'll end up like that thing over there! Trust me. Please." 

Becker has a hand on my shoulder to stop me from moving towards Alex again. I glare at him, but stop when I see the look on his face. He isn't looking at me. He's looking at Alex. He looks scared. I haven't seen him scared before. I look to Alex again. The fungus is finally slowing down. It stops and begins to turn to the same dust the creature had. The dust starts to fall off her face. I watch Connor for a signal of some kind to tell me I could pick her up and take her out of here. Eventually, he gave it. 

"Okay. Okay, she's clear."

Becker and I take her through together, to the little observation room. While we'd been in the Ops room Jenny and Lester had somehow found some medical equipment. I just hope it's the right stuff. Becker and I put Alex down on the now-clear table. 

"If she's been frozen quickly, there's a chance we can bring her back." Sarah tells us.

_B__ring her back._

The other's voices are suddenly drowned out by the deafening silence in my ears.

Two words suddenly jump out through the silence. 

"No pulse." 

She's gone. Alex is gone. 

I am terrified and sad and angry. Furious at myself. How could I have let this happen? I'd promised Stephen and Nick I wouldn't. I'd promised myself. Alex is like my daughter. I can't lose her. The colour has drained from Becker's face. Lester's too. I remember what else Sarah had said. 

"There's a chance." I say softly. "There's a chance." I hear a voice. Abby. 

"I've got a pulse." 

I'm still scared, still sad, still angry. But I have hope. I take one of Alex's hands. I think I'm the only one who notices Becker taking her other one. Alex's eyes open. She looks at me and speaks. It's only a few words but they bring me more happiness than anything else ever has.

"Danny. You stupid old man."

***

**Alex**

I sit at a table with Sarah, Becker leaning on his elbows beside me. Every so often I shiver and one of them asks if I need another layer. I don't think I can put one on. I have Becker's hoodie, both Abby's and Sarah's scarves, Connor's (fingerless, but they count) gloves, tin foil, at least two blankets and a massively puffy jacket that I'm pretty sure belongs to Jenny. I can barely move with Jenny's jacket on so, ignoring Sarah and Becker, I pull it off. I open my mouth to speak, but I'm interrupted by Lester's voice. 

"Glad you could drop by at such short notice." he doesn't sound glad at all. All six of us turn. When we see Johnson we stand in a line in front of Lester, Johnson and Captain Wilder, her second in command. I wobble as I stand and end up using Sarah like a walking stick to get to them. "Now, Christine, I wanted you to be the first to know. You're right, I am going to need a man just like Captain Wilder to replace Cutter." Lester says. 

"I'm glad you've come round to my way of thinking." Johnson says, fake smile firmly in place. 

"Oh, not Wilder himself, of course. He's playing much too vital a role on your own staff." 

Johnson's smile falls. 

"But Danny Quinn here is just like him. Background in the police, firearms training, management skills. The perfect choice. I've already cleared it with the Minister."

Danny is not expecting this announcement. Neither is Johnson. She walks up to Danny, putting her smile back on. She holds out a hand and Danny shakes it. 

"Congratulations. I'm sure we'll be seeing a lot of each other." she mutters before returning to Lester's side. She moves to walk away but Lester starts speaking again. 

"He shall be leading, of course, under the guidance of Alex Hart. She has the most experience, the widest skill set. My first choice, but the Minister preferred the ex-policeman route. I do hope you don't disagree, Christine?" Lester sounds as though he doesn't care if Johnson agrees or not. 

I hadn't been expecting this, but the others, bar Danny, obviously knew. Johnson glares at me. Sarah's grip on me tightens, half hugging me and half stopping my wobbling. Johnson steps forwards and sticks out her hand. She's too far away from me to reach. She was going to make me walk out to her. I haven't managed to take a single step on my own since I'd been brought back. I lift my chin and let go of Sarah's hand. I step forwards, wobbling precariously. Lester moves forwards, his arms now unfolded. I take another two steps before I reach Johnson. I grip her hand tightly. She's the only thing stopping me falling as she shakes my hand. She lets go of my hand and turns on her heel, Captain Wilder following her like a well-trained dog. I stand in silence for a moment before I speak. 

"Can I get a hand back to my chair please?" As Abby helps me walk back over to the table, Lester speaks to Danny. 

"I trust that's alright?" he asks. 

"If it's alright with these guys, it's alright with me." he says as I sit carefully in the chair. 

"Our idea." I call. 

"Jenny's most of all." Lester adds before walking over to me. He hands me an envelope. "I found this today. In Cutter's box. It's for you, Alex."

***

The letter burns in my pocket as I walk along the corridor, Lester holding my arm. We see Connor and walk towards him. His things are scattered everywhere on the floor, a little camp bed set up in the middle of the room. I know what this was. 

"Are you living here?" Lester asks. Connor turns, startled, a mug of tea in his hand. 

"Yes." he admits. "But it's strictly temporary."

"Have you any idea how many clauses of the health and safety guidelines this breaches?"

"Sorry." Connor cringes as I fish around in my pockets. I draw out my house keys and throw them to Connor, making sure I've taken the key for Becker's flat off first. He catches them, nearly dropping his tea. 

"Look, stay at the house, Con. It's just sitting there, empty. You can have free reign of it until I go back." I tell him. 

"Really?" Connor asks as he holds up the keys. 

"Yes." I tell him. "And, Connor? Put some trousers on." 

Lester and I turn to walk away as Sid and Nancy start gurgling from their little crate on the floor.

"I think you're going to profoundly regret this." Lester says. I wrinkle my nose up. 

"Nah." I tell him.

Lester takes me to his office, which I hadn't expected. He sits me down and then sits in his own chair. He takes a piece of paper out of his pocket and hands it to me. 

"I also found an envelope for me in Cutter's box. That is what was inside." he tells me. I look down at the paper in my hand. One sentence jumps out at me.

_This document confirms that James Lester is now a guardian of Alexandra Louise Hart._

My head jerks up. 

"You agreed to this?" I ask. Lester nods. 

"Of course." he tells me. 

"Why?" I breathe. Lester stands up as the door to his office opens. 

"Becker. Yes, you can take her home now." he says. I stand slowly, handing the paper back to Lester. 

"Thank you." I whisper before turning and taking Becker's arm so I can wobble out.

***

I pull the envelope out from under the fold in the duvet I'd tucked it under. My name is on the front in Nick's handwriting. There are two letters inside. My name is on both of these. I put one of them down and open the other. The paper inside is covered in Nick's tiny, cramped, scrawling script.

_Alex, I'm sorry. _

_You're right, of course. Right about everything. You always are._

_I should have listened to you. I should always listen to you. I can't imagine how hard this all is. I know I'm struggling, but for you..._

_I know you've had to do terrible things. Things you blame yourself for. And I know that you blame yourself for other things that other people have done. These things are not your fault, Princess. None of this is your fault, none of it._

_I can hardly bring myself to look at you sometimes. Because I know that the hurt you're feeling is my fault. I should have protected you from this, I shouldn't have let you get involved. If Stephen could see you now, he would yell at me until he was blue in the face and my ears had fallen off. He loved you more than anything, Alex. Remember that. That both of us love you._

_But if you are reading this, it means I'm gone. It means I'm dead. It means that I was too late. Too late to save you, too late to listen. I hate myself for realising how broken you are so late. And all I can do now is hope that you can be fixed._

_I'm sorry, Alex_

There's a quiet knock at the door, and I rub my cheek, "Yep, you're safe." I say, and light slices into the room as the door opens.

"How're you feeling?" Becker asks.

"Cold." I tell him, pulling at my sleeves.

"Take this." he says, pulling his own hoodie over his head and throwing it at me.

"Smells like you." I tell him, wrinkling my nose.

"I'll take it back then-"

"No. No, it's fine. Thank you." I say, pulling it over my own head. I expect him to be gone by the time my head pokes out the top, but he's still there. He sees the confused look on my face and his hand goes up to the back of his neck, a little thing he does a lot.

"Uh, Jurassic Park's on. I was just wondering if you'd like to watch it."

"Yeah. Yeah, I would."


	20. Say Something

**Alex**

I find myself in the old matrix room. It wasn't where I was planning on going. But I'm here now. I sit cross-legged on the floor, where the middle of the matrix used to be. I can picture the loops of metal, scraps of paper dangling from them.

_Don't touch it. Touch it and you could change time._ Nick had said to me the first time I'd seen it.

And we'd always said Helen was the dramatic one.

I feel someone sit beside me. I hadn't heard them. I have earphones in almost permanently nowadays. I pull them out when I see dark hair out of the corner of my eye. Sarah.

"Hi." I say.

"Hi." she replies. "Feeling alright?"

"Yeah. You?"

"Fine. You know, I'd try and rebuild it. I could try. But I didn't write everything down and you know Cutter didn't make any notes. It would take years." she tells me. Nick's been dead for months, but the matrix room has been left empty except for the desk Sarah and Connor use every so often. Sarah digs in her pocket for a moment before saying, "I found this." she holds her hand out to me. I open my hand and hold it under hers. Sarah opens her hand and lets something fall into my hand.

It's something smooth and white bundled in suede string. I unravel it to find a tooth. A Pristichampsus tooth. I feel Sarah's arm go around me as I rub the tooth with my finger.

"I saw it in his locker when it was being cleared out and I managed to grab it. I think he meant for you to have it." she tells me. I let myself lean into her, my head landing on her shoulder.

"Thank you, Sarah." I mumble.

"Of course, Alex." she pauses. "We will get through this, you know. We'll manage everything the universe throws at us, as long as we all stick together. Remember that."

_Season 3, Episode 6_

The rope whirs as I'm lowered to the beeping panel on the wall. There's a maze of lasers underneath me. If I trip one of them, the intruder alarms will go off. I fish something out of my pocket and scan the panel with it. The panel goes dead, and so do the lasers. I drop to the floor, my boots making as little noise as possible. I take out my torch and shine it around me, looking for a door. I unclip the ropes. I know there's was a ladder that goes directly where I want to go. I head for it and slide down it. There's a door right next to it. I open it carefully and poke my head out. The coast is clear. I step out and the intruder alarm goes off. I don't hesitate, I start running. I sprint down the corridor until, 

"Bang!" 

I slow down. I turn to see Becker, his hands held together in the shape of a gun. He's half smiling as he checks his watch, the intruder alarm fading away. 

"26 seconds." he tells me, "Five seconds longer than last time and two seconds longer than Quinn." I lean against the wall. "How did you get in?" he asks. 

"Jumped the perimeter fence and went through the vents." I shrug. "Not that difficult, really." we start walking down the corridor to the ops room. "I suggest you-" Becker cuts me off, speaking into some kind of walkie-talkie I didn't know the technical term for, 

"Station more guards around the perimeter and secure all ventilation shafts." he says, glancing at me. 

"Exactly." I nod.

The instant Lester comes in he sends for the three of us. Danny and I lean against the walls as Becker stands straight. 

"It's conclusive proof!" I say to Danny. "I'm better than you. At least at breaking and entering." he shakes his head, but he's smiling. 

"Yeah, and who taught you how to do that, Sunshine?" he asks. Just as I pull a face at him, Becker speaks to Lester. 

"I am satisfied that there was no serious breach of security." he says. Lester puts down his pen. 

"Excellent. A new definition of serious." his voice rises slightly. "You let both him and my ward _abseil_ down the ventilation shaft." 

"Yes sir."

Lester sighs, 

"Who won?" 

"I did." I smile. I could swear Lester starts to smile too. 

"Good girl." he says. Lester seems to have really warmed to being my guardian in the few short weeks since he had had the position. I remember something. 

"That surveillance camera is a waste of time, by the way." I say. Becker turns. 

"What camera?" he asks, clearly confused. 

"The one in the shaft covering the corridor." 

"There's no camera there." he tells me. Danny and I share a look and immediately begin searching the office, our ears deaf to Lester's protests. Becker and Danny start picking things up from the table. They can't find anything. 

"Vents." Danny says. I jump up onto a beam to take the cover off the vent up there. 

"Anything?" I ask. Becker's crouched on the floor next to the other vent while Danny searches the other walls. 

"Clear." he says. I turn back to my own vent, the cover now on the floor. I turn back to the others, holding wires and a tiny camera in my hands. 

"Smile, boys. We're on TV."

I jump down and run out of the office. 

"Oi, Con!" I shout. He, Sarah and Abby turn from the artefact to look at me. "They've seen it." I tell him. 

"Who's seen what?" he asks. 

"Johnson. She knows we've got the artefact. We've got five minutes." Danny calls, already halfway down the slope, grabbing Sarah. I run after him and together we all run through the ops room, into the corridor. 

"Quinn! Alex!" it's Becker. I stop and turn as he runs up to us, and so do the others. "She's already here, all the exits are covered." 

Danny and I both swear loudly, Danny earning a thump on the arm from Sarah. I hear a loud voice and running footsteps. 

"Find Hart, Quinn and the artefact." 

I look at the others. They look as panicked as I felt. Danny shoves Sarah through a door and Abby and Connor follow, Becker pushing me in after them. We crouch at the ends of tables. Danny and I look at each other. 

"I know one exit she won't have covered." he tells Becker. He nods. 

"Lester's looking for a safe house. Whatever you do, don't break cover. That means you, Temple. We'll find you when it's clear." he tells us. I frown. 

"What about you?" I ask. 

"I'm going to be your distraction."

I'm at the back of the group, watching for any soldiers. I don't notice that my shoelace has come undone. I stumble and as I try to balance myself, the others disappear round the corner. As I move to catch up with them, arms are suddenly around me, dragging me backwards. I start kicking and shouting, but a hand clamps over my mouth. I'm dragged to the ops room, still thrashing around, desperately trying to get away from the soldier, my yells muffled by his hand. He shoves me through the door and towards the ADD. Other soldiers watch as we pass, a few of the ARC staff avoiding me with their eyes. Lester walks past me and stops in his tracks as he sees me, but a soldier nudges him and he keeps walking. I hear Johnson's voice, 

"Ladies and gentlemen, James Lester has been relieved of his duties. Please continue working normally and this transition will run smoothly."

Becker is escorted over to Johnson as I'm dragged over. My nose and mouth are covered by the solder's hand. I can already tell the his fingers are going to leave bruises on me. Becker hasn't seen me yet, which means he still thinks I've gotten away with the others. 

"You do realise this isn't personal, Captain? It's purely a question of national security." Johnson says, her back to him. 

"Of course, ma'am." he replies stiffly. Johnson turns then, her eyes meeting mine for a split second before she looks at Becker. 

"I've looked at your file, Becker. You're a good soldier. I'm your commanding officer now." Johnson tells him. No she isn't. I am. "I assume there is no conflict of loyalties?" Johnson asks him, her eyes darting to mine again. 

"Not at all." Becker tells her, his voice flat and emotionless. He's convincing, enough for Johnson. Enough for me to begin to believe him. No, he'd never-

My thoughts are cut off by Johnson's voice. 

"That's good, isn't it, Alexandra?" she asks. I don't say anything. I can't. I can hardly breathe. Becker doesn't turn. He seems to think Johnson's playing a trick. She sighs. "Well take your hand away from her mouth." she says, glaring at the soldier holding me. "We do need to keep her alive." she adds. He lets go, and I gasp in a single breath. This is what makes Becker turn. "You're dismissed, Davis. I dare say Captain Becker can handle Alexandra." the soldier leaves, but I don't take the chance to turn and run. One of them would catch me. So I stand there and stare at Christine Johnson, who stares straight back. "Yes. You do look like your mother."

"How do you know my mother?" I ask. I've been told that she talked about them when the team met her before. She's asked Lester about them, about me. Johnson steps forward, holding a hand up as if to take hold of my chin, and I move back, lifting it up and away from her. "Don't touch me."

"Ah ah. Behave." she tells me, catching my chin, her fingers digging in.

"Don't think I won't bite you."

"I can see Quinn has taught you his own version of manners." she says lightly. My hand grabs her wrist and moves it away from my face.

"Fuck off." I spit out. Her face changes, and sharp pain bursts onto my cheek. She's slapped me.

"Take her away, someone. Get her out of my sight." Johnson orders, turning away from me. Someone takes hold of my wrists again and starts pulling at me. I'm trying to catch Becker's eye, but he won't look at me. His fingers are twitching as he stares at the wall and I am dragged away. To my office. She knows which one my office is. How many cameras does she have in here?

The door is locked after I'm shoved in and I swear. There aren't any windows in my office, and no vents I can fit in. I could always pick the lock, but even if there isn't a soldier standing outside my door, they're crawling all over the place. I can't get out. Becker'll get me out, surely. Surely six months of working and living with the team can't be so easily destroyed. But then, Leek was with us for over a year. _He isn't Leek. _I tell myself. _He isn't Leek. For God's sake, Alex, you live with him. Surely you'd know if he was a snake._

The door clicks open and the same soldier who had found me trying to run, Davis, walks in. I stand still, wondering what he's going to do, when he grabs the sleeve of the cardigan I'm wearing and pulls at it. My hand is yanked out of my pocket and the cardigan pulled off me, jarring my arms.

"No. No, I need that-" I start. It's Sarah's, she's given it to me this morning when she'd seen me shivering. I'd pushed my earphones back into my ears, but they're ripped uncomfortably back out. "I need thos-" I try again as my handgun is pulled from my jeans and set on the table on top of Sarah's cardigan. I'm being stared at, looked at up and down, and I don't like it. _Don't see my boots, don't see my boots-_

"Your boots. Take them off."

"I need shoes-" I try.

"Take them off!" he shouts, and I flinch. I lift one foot onto my chair to untie it, then the other. The soldier grabs them off me as soon as he can, tipping them upside down. My smallest knife falls out of where I'd tucked it into the side. Damn it. He picks up the knife, the gun, the cardigan, my phone and my earphones and takes it all away, leaving the door open. For a brief moment, I think aout running for it, but then Johnson walks in with yet another one of her soldiers. She sits on my side of the desk, in my chair, and gestures at the other chair.

"Sit." she says simply.

"I'll stand, thanks." I tell her, but her soldier, of course, takes hold of my arm and forces me down into the chair.

"Now, Alexandra, are you ready to cooperate?" she asks the question, but doesn't wait for an answer before continuing, "You know how their minds work, how they think. You know where they are. Tell me."

"Go to hell." I tell her, giving her a small, insincere smile.

"Very well. Take her." Johnson says, standing and walking out of my office. I am once again grabbed and dragged out after her. I'm taken to the ops room and sat in a chair. Handcuffed to it. And watched.

***

There's an anomaly alert. Johnson sends her own soldiers out to it. They don't come back. I'm still in the chair as Becker and Johnson walk down the slope from Lester's office.

"What happened, where's the artefact?" Johnson demands to know. The room is practically silent, so I can hear what they're saying.

"Let me handle this. I know how Quinn's mind works." Becker keeps saying stuff like this, like he's on Johnson's side. I'm unnerved by it. But I just keep repeating in my head, _He isn't Leek_.

"Fine. Do it." Johnson says.

"Shouldn't we report this to the Minister? Lester kept him informed on operational decisions." Becker tells her.

"Let me worry about the Minister. He'll find out what I choose to tell him."

"With respect ma'am, if he discovers he's not being fully informed-"

"The Minister is an imbecile. He can barely blow his own nose. Do you really think I'm going to let a Whitehall glove puppet with the IQ of a root vegetable tell me how to do my job?" she asks. They stop right in front of me and Becker turns fully to Johnson. "Now find Quinn for me. And make sure you follow the orders I gave you, Captain, clear?"

"Yes ma'am." Becker replies. He turns to me as Johnson walks away, but he still doesn't look at me. He nods to the soldier standing guard behind me, who turns and leave. Becker pulls me to my feet and then walks away from me, obviously expecting me to follow him. Which I do. Once we're through the door, he takes hold of my elbow. He still won't look at me.

"What the hell do you think you're doing, Becker?" I hiss. No reaction. I try again, "Becker? Action Man? What are you doing?" he still doesn't look at me, doesn't answer, just pulls me along with him. I stop walking, rooting myself to the spot. "Hilary James Becker, you give me an answer right now or I swear to God-" I'm cut off as I'm swung up onto Becker's shoulders. "Put me down!"

"I advise you keep quiet, Miss Hart. I have very specific orders, and you don't want me to follow them through." his voice is flat. Without any kind of emotion, like it was the day I'd met him. He turns his head so he can speak directly into my ear, and when he does speak he sounds like Becker again, "Trust me, Commander."

***

We walk over the crest of the hill alone, sticks and stones digging into my socked feet. I can hear the other's voices. I still don't quite understand why I've been brought to take them back. Becker has let go of me but, with so many guns and my hands in cuffs and my feet without shoes, I don't want to chance it. Becker's gun clicks as we sees the others.

"You're all under arrest." he tells them. They all turn at the sound of Becker's voice as soldiers surround them.

"You've got to be kidding me." Danny says. He sees me and his eyes go wide. Abby's hand goes to Connor's arm. I hear Sarah say my name quietly before her expression becomes fierce.

"What have you done to her?" she demands. I have no idea what kind of state I'm in. My cheek still stings and there's dull pain on my arms and on my face where I've been grabbed and pushed and semi-suffocated.

"My orders are to take you back to the ARC." Becker tells them, ignoring Sarah.

"What if we don't go?" Connor asks. And then Becker's holding a small gun. My gun, the one that had been taken from me. I feel the cold metal against my head and I suck in my breath involuntarily. "I'm authorised to use deadly force if I have to." Becker says, at the same moment as my mind goes, _ah. That's why I'm here. I'm leverage. __Alright then, Action Man. If you're going to play that game._

I turn so I'm facing him, the gun now pressed to my forehead, above my eyebrows. His expression remains mainly unchanged, apart from his eyes, now wider than before. I might be seeing things, but I think there's panic in there somewhere. I hear Abby's realisation that I'm in handcuffs. Both Danny and Connor move to take a step forwards but are stopped by Abby and Sarah, who are eyeing the soldiers around them carefully. I look at Becker, staring him dead in the eye.

"Go on then. Use your deadly force, Johnson wants me dead anyway." I tell him.

"Alex, no!" Abby calls. I hear footsteps going towards her.

"Don't you dare!" that's Connor. Becker's eyes dart to the side, but I don't let my eyes move. I take a step forwards, forcing Becker to bend his arm. I swallow hard before saying, as quietly as I think I can,

"You told me to trust you." Again, I could swear there's something like panic his eyes before I heard footsteps behind me and the click of another gun.

"Alright!" Danny cries. "Alright, we'll come with you. Just don't hurt her. Please."

***

I'm on the opposite side of Lester's office than the rest of them. They all lean against the wall, glaring at Becker. I stand up straight, fiddling with my handcuffs.

"Excellent work, Captain. I can see you're a man with real potential." Johnson tells Becker from where she sits in Lester's chair, her slimy smile plastered across her face as she holds up the artefact. I can see Connor across the room from me, itching to snatch it from her hands.

"Very kind, madam." Becker replies.

"I think I'm going to be sick." Danny says.

"Yeah, can you pass the waste-paper basket?" I add. Johnson's gaze zeroes in on me, ignoring Danny.

"I'd have a little more respect if I were you, Hart." she tells me.

"A little more? More than what? I don't have any respect for you." I tell her. Becker shoots me a look. I hold my head up and stare back, defiant. Sarah speaks up,

"You know, I don't think any of us have any respect for you, Christine."

"Hart is looking at a very serious charge of stealing government property." Johnson states. Sarah lifts her chin.

"If one of us goes down, we all go down together." she says, glaring at Becker.

"Yeah, we're a team." Abby says.

"You can't take one without the rest of us." Connor adds, and Danny smiles almost proudly

"What a charming exhibition." Lester's voice comes into the office before he does. "Hello, Christine." Johnson's smile has melted by now.

"You're not authorised to enter this building, James." she says.

"I think you're sitting in my chair."

"Captain, would you escort this troublesome man from the building." 

"I'm afraid I can't do that ma'am." he tells her. All our heads turn to him, surprised.

"What?" she asks. Becker steps forwards and puts a little recording device on the desk. Johnson's voice comes from it,

_The Minister is an imbecile. He can barely blow his own nose. Do you really think I'm going to let a Whitehall glove puppet with the IQ of a root vegetable tell me how to do my job?_

The others start smirking and giggling. I stand in surprised silence.

"Yes, Captain Becker recorded it and I sent a copy to Whitehall." Lester pauses, "Oh, that reminds me, the Minister wants to see you. Actually, he did seem a little upset. Christine, I did tell you it wasn't over." Johnson blinks and puts the artefact down.

"No, James. I assure you, it's not."

The others all start laughing again as she leaves the office. I step towards Becker.

"Get me out of these handcuffs. Now."

***

Standing in front of the mirror in the women's toilets nearest the ops room, I look at myself in the mirror. There's a faint pinky-red mark where Johnson slapped me. There are smaller, rounder, redder marks around my nose and mouth, more of the same on my arms and shoulders. Bruises from fingers digging into the skin. Around my wrists where the handcuffs had been are red too, bleeding a little. I lift my foot and peel my soaking wet sock off. Since my boots had been taken, I'd had to go around the woods looking for the others in my socks. And there were some sharp rocks and sticks there. The door swings open, and my eyes move to see who it is automatically, though they return to the mirror almost immediately as I lift my hands to tie my hair up.

"This is the women's bathroom, Captain." I say.

"I'm aware." he tells me, moving to stand behind me so he's there in the mirror, where I'm refusing to look at him.

"You scared me. You really scared me. You told me to trust you, and I did, and you put a gun to my head."

"It wasn't loaded-"

"You still did it!" my voice is suddenly loud, angry. Becker holds up his hands.

"I know. I know. I'm sorry, I am. Even if it was loaded, I would never have shot you. Never."

"Why did you let her do all that?" I ask, and my voice wobbles as my hands leave my hair and rest on the counter. "She hit me, and those men took my things, my shoes. They _handcuffed _me."

"If she knew that I wasn't going to follow her orders, if she knew that I was going to listen to you, I don't know what she would have done. I was just trying to protect you." he tells me, and I do look at him then. And I can see him. Completely honest. Trying his best. I nod.

"Just never do it again, okay? I like having you around, it'd be a shame if I had to kill you." I tell him.

"Yes, ma'am." he says, almost smiling. And I can't quite stop myself from turning and hugging him. I think this is the first time he doesn't try to stop me from doing it. He doesn't properly hug me back, but he accepts my hug, and I feel a hand patting my back. I hear the noise of the door swinging open again and then a spluttering voice,

"Oh dear, I, um, I was just going to...I just...I'm going to leave now."

And as the door closes, we step away from each other, me bumping into the sink.

"You've got to go, this is the women's bathroom." I say.

"If I get in trouble I'll just tell Lester I was doing a check-"

"No, like you've got to go. I need to use the women's bathroom." I tell him, and he frowns in confusion. I sigh, realising I'll have to spell it out for him. "I need to pee, Becker."

"Oh. Oh, right. I'll just...I'll-"

"Yeah."

***

I sit at the ADD later, watching as the scanner moves over the country, humming quietly to myself. I got my phone back, which means I have my music back. I heard Stephen's voice after he died. I still do. Nick's voice makes an appearance sometimes. And Captain Ryan's. He's still there. I feel a hand on my shoulder.

"You alright? You've been staring at that thing for ages." Sarah says, crouching so her head hovers next to my arm just below my shoulder as her arms goes around me instead.

"Yes. Yes, I'm alright." I tell her. My hand has moved up to the tooth around my neck. Sarah had only given it to me this morning. It feels like so long ago. I feel a shiver go through me. "Johnson's men, they took your cardi."

"It's okay. I've got more." Sarah tells me, her head tipping to rest on my arm. "But you feel alright? I don't know what happened, but, if you want to talk about it..."

"Thank you, Sarah. Just being pushed and pulled, it's alright, nothing...bad." I tell her, and she nods.

"As long as you feel alright. How are the funny voices?" she asks. She knows about the voices, I told her.

"They're there." I tell her, and she rubs my arm before standing up, saying,

"Come on. Let me have a look at those bruises, see what I can do. Grab some hot chocolate, yeah?" I turn my head and smile up at her.

"Hot chocolate. Can we see if Danny'll make it? He does a really nice one specially for me sometimes."

"Yeah, let's go badger him for it."


	21. Puff The Magic Dragon

**Alex**

Usually, I don't knock on doors. I just push in and flop into the closest wheelie chair. But this time, I do knock before I open the door, still fiddling with my keys.

"I'm doing the report, I'm doing it!"

"Becker, I'm not Lester." I say.

"Oh. Alex. Hi. What's with the rucksack?" he asks, indicating the bag slung over my shoulder. There's another bag next to my feet.

"I forgot to tell you yesterday. I'm going to go back to the house." I say. "I just...I feel like it's time for me to go back. I've been gone too long. And Connor might have wrecked the place by now."

"Oh, right. Yeah. Probably a good idea. To go back, I mean."

"Thank you."

"What for?"

"For letting me stay with you. It was good. Fun, even."

Stiff silence hangs between us, neither of us sure of what to say. I fumble with my keys again.

"Keep it. Keep the key." Becker says quickly. I look up from my keys. "Then, if you need to escape Connor..." he starts, and I smile a little.

"I'll know where to go."

_Season 3, Episode 7_

**Alex**

I walk into the kitchen making trumpet noises before plonking my hands on Connor's head,

"Happy birthday to you, you're older than me, happy birthday dear Connor, you are an old man." I sing at him.

"Ta." he says simply, shoving my hands off his head. Connor Temple isn't exactly a morning person. I move around the table to the fridge and open the door. I frown and close it again. 

"Connor?"

"Yeah?"

"There was a cake in here. Chocolate one, rainbow sprinkles. Where is it?"

"Oh. I ate it."

"Course you did. Never mind then. It was for you anyway." I say, pulling out the bread and shoving a slice into the toaster. "So, Sergeant Nerd, how's it feel to be forty-two?"

"Very funny." Connor mutters, picking Sid up from where he's scuttling around his chair.

"We're going to the Dragon Egg after work. Lester said we could have free reign and the Minister would pay for it." I tell him when I remember about a minute later. Lester had told me that yesterday, at the same time as he'd told me my repaired motorbike was down in the carpark. Lester's been very...generous lately.

"All of us?"

"If you like." I say, taking my popped toast from the toaster and sitting down to butter it, "It's your party. Literally." I tell him, pushing toast into my mouth as I get up again and go into the living room. I reach into the TV cabinet and take out a wrapped box before going back into the kitchen and putting it down in front of Connor. "Happy birthday, mate."

Over an hour later, I'm sitting on my newly-repaired bike, tapping. Connor's taking too long, and he's doing it on purpose. Probably because he fell asleep earlier and I dumped Nancy on him to wake him up. He steps out of the house and takes an age to lock the door.

"We're going to be late!" I call to him, and he ignores me. "You know, I was going to give you a lift on the bike..." I start, speaking more quietly now, but he hears me and starts moving as if his life depends on it. He's always wanted a ride on the bike and thus far he hasn't gotten one.

"Really?" he asks, and I nod.

"Yeah, it's your birthday." I tell him, starting said bike up and waiting until he is just within reach before zooming off, grinning to myself as he shouts after me.

***

"You're late." Sarah says to Connor as he walked in. I smile again. Becker is standing next to me. He notices my grin and asks why I'm so happy Connor's late. 

"You'll see." I tell him. Connor gives Sarah some kind of excuse and walks up to the two of us. I hold out my hand and he drops the keys into it. 

"You're mean." he mutters. 

"You love me anyway, Con." I say. 

"You're lucky I do." 

"What would you do? Beat me at some videogame? Because I assure you, you will beat me." I say. Connor laughs. He turns to leave, but pauses. 

"Oh yeah, Sid found your laptop charger very tasty." and he walks off laughing. He laughs even more when I yell after him, 

"Connor, you little shit!" 

***

Connor is coming down from the upper level of the ops room and I'm storming towards him. We both stop when we hear a voice, 

"Connor? Alex?"

"Yo." we answer together. Sarah is sitting in front of a laptop near the ADD. 

"Something suspicious has come up on the net." she says as I walk over. 

"What kind of suspicious?" Connor asks. 

"Just get down here, Con." I call. "So, what's come up?" I ask once Connor has reached us. We lean closer to the screen. There's a lizard on it. But not just any lizard. A Coelurosauravus. 

"Rex." Connor says. I hit him. 

"What?" Sarah asks. 

"It's just a rare kind of bearded dragon." I say quickly before Connor can mess things up further. I hear Abby's voice behind us, 

"I am going to kill Jack." Connor and I turn, placing ourselves carefully in front of the laptop screen. 

"Really?" Connor tries to say it casually. "That's a good idea. Any particular reason?" 

"He lent Rex to a friend." Abby tells us. Sarah comes around to Connor's side. 

"Isn't that what you just said?" she asks him. 

"Me?" he says. 

"What?" Abby asks. 

"When?" Connor's panicking a bit now, I can tell. 

"When you looked at the screen, you said Rex." Sarah reminds him. Abby narrows her eyes at him. 

"Next." I blurt out. "He said next." Connor lets out a breath. 

"Yeah. Yeah, I said next. As in, you know, we've done that, what else have you got?" he says in a rush. Sarah shakes her head disbelievingly.

"Are you okay?" Abby asks suspiciously. 

"So we don't need to take any action?" Sarah asks. 

"No action!" my voice is a bit louder than I mean it to be. Sarah looks at me, bewildered. 

"Okay, no action." she heads over to the artefact table. 

"Action. What action?" Abby asks. 

"Nothing, nothing." Connor tells her. "What's with all the questions?" he pauses. "So Jack definitely said he lent him to this friend?" 

I want to hit myself as well as him at this point. For such a smart person, he can be a real idiot sometimes.

"Yes." Abby tells him. "Why?" she shifts slightly to try and see the laptop screen. I move so she can't see it. She sighs and moves off. I turn to Connor. 

"You better get on the phone to Jack." I say. Connor hesitates. I poke him. "Now, Con!"

***

This is quite something to process, this anomaly. There's a dragon that's not a dragon, and a knight on the loose. But, you know, just a regular day at work. Connor, Danny and I are running, calling out to people, asking if they'd seen the knight. 

"He's on the high street!" one man calls back as we run across a bridge. A biker runs past us a few minutes later, clearly terrified, just as we slow to a walk. 

"Our knight?" I wonder aloud. 

"So what happens when we catch up with him?" Connor asks. 

"Well, we sit him down and talk to him like rational human beings, yeah?" Danny says. Connor looks at me, unsure if Danny's being sarcastic or not. I shrug. 

"Yeah." we say together. The three of us walk down the alleyway the biker had come from, a knife in my hand just in case. I'm behind Danny and Connor when we find the knight, his sword drawn. 

"Stand back, demon." he orders. The three of us stop. 

"We're not demons." Danny tells him, "We're flesh and blood, just like you." 

"You are demons, and I am in hell." 

"Technically it's London, but, you know, it's an easy mistake to make." Connor says. 

"We can help you get home." Danny tells the knight. 

"The only way home is to slay the beast to complete my quest." he replies. I open my mouth to speak, but Danny beats me to it. 

"Killing the dragon will not get you back." he says. Connor turns to him. 

"It's not a dragon." he whispers before turning to the knight. "It's not a dragon." he repeats, louder this time. 

"We can help you." Danny tells the knight. The knight puts the bin lid he's been holding back onto its bin and Danny nudges Connor. They walk toward the knight, but I stay put, in case the knight makes a run for it. "I know this seems weird-" Danny begins before the knight lifts the bin lid, hitting Danny across the face. He hits Connor with it too, knocking them both to the ground. He lifts his sword and swings it down. Before he has a chance to decapitate Connor, I've managed to shove my knife in the way of his sword. The knight looks at me and stumbles backwards. 

"A woman." he says, shocked. I stand in front of him, my sword raised. The knight looks at me, confused. "Who are you? Why do you protect these demons?"

"They are not demons. They are men, just like you." I tell him. "I am Alexandra, defender of man, named after Alexander the Great." I'm not exactly lying, my name is the female version of Alexander and it does mean defender of man. "I am a great warrior, well known for my noble deeds and the battles I have won. These men are under my protection." that bit is mostly made up.

"If you are truly the defender of man, why do you dwell in hell?" the knight asks, his suspicion evident. 

"Because you too are in need of my protection." I'm improvising now, "You too need my help." the knight's eyes light up. 

"You can help me slay the dragon."

"No! You must not slay the beast." 

"But I must. You cannot be the defender of man. You are nothing but trickery, another demon sent to taunt me!" Danny and Connor's eyes are fluttering open. The knight points his sword at me and starts walking away. 

"You must not kill the beast!" I shout. 

"You are nothing but lies!" the knight shouts back as he walks away.

***

My phone rings as we leave the pub the knight has just destroyed and all three of us stop. I put the phone to my ear. 

"Alexandra Hart, annoyance extraordinaire, how may I be of service?"

_Spare me the spiel, Frozen Girl_

"Becker? What's up, have you got the dragon?"

_Yes, we've got it. Abby wouldn't let me shoot it._ comes the rather grumpy reply. There are a few clunks and a_ hey!_ before Abby's voice starts talking.

_We've got it but I need you here._ she sounds worried. 

"Abby? Abby, is the dragon alright?" 

_I need to operate. I need you here, Alex. You're the __palaeontologist__, I'm the zoologist. I need your help._

I nod, and then remember she can't see me. 

"Okay, Abby, I'm on my way. I'll be there in two ticks, alright?" I hear a sigh of relief.

_Thanks, Alex._ I end the call. 

"What's going on?" Connor asks. "Is she okay?" 

"Abby's fine." I tell him. "I need to go back, she needs help with the Dracorex." I say, looking at Danny. He nods. 

"We can handle Lancelot." he tells me, "Go." and I turn and run.

***

"Your saviour is here!" I call as I burst into the shed. Abby looks up from the Dracorex. 

"Alright, Loki, get over here." she tells me. The spear head is still in the Dracorex. "I wanted to wait for you. I don't know how to operate on a dinosaur and it's not as if Soldier Boy's an expert."

"Oi!" Becker says indignantly from where he's standing in the corner. Abby holds up a few coils of thin copper wire. I nod. 

"Yeah, those will do for thread." I tell her. "Right, we need to get that out. Abby, can you go find me some water and rags? Make sure they're clean." Abby nods and heads out. I scour the walls and the first aid kit quickly. I find some pliers, antiseptic spray, bandages and a pair of wire cutters. To my great relief, I also find a needle in the first aid kit. I go back to the Dracorex. I stroke its head carefully. 

"I'm not going to let you die, dragon." I tell it, pausing before adding, "Abby would kill me." I return to its side, looking to Becker expectantly. 

"What?" he asks. 

"I need your help, Action Man." I tell him. 

"Right." he says, surprised, as he walks over. I point to the wood sticking out of the dragon's side. "Put your hands around it and pull." I tell him, putting my hands either side of the spear head. He does as he's told. "Keep it really steady, really slow." the spear head comes out and Becker moves to put it on the table I'd put the wire and other stuff on. "Woah!" I cry. He freezes. 

"What?" he asks. 

"Dude! Contamination! Put it somewhere else!" I tell him. Becker puts his hands up defensively before dropping the spear head onto another table. 

"What should I do now?" he asks. 

"Go back to your corner until I need you again." I say without looking up. "And don't grumble about how Abby should have let you shoot it." Abby comes back in with a bucket of water, rags stuffed under her arms. She puts the bucket beside me and then stands next to me. 

"Right, we've got to clean the wound first." she says and I nod, reaching out and grabbing the antiseptic spray I'd found. Abby raises an eyebrow. 

"It's worth a shot." I say, and she shrugs. We clean the wound, the water in the bucket getting bloodier and bloodier. "Okay, start with the wires now." I tell her, handing her the needle. I keep my hands on the dragon, putting pressure onto the wound. I look up to see Abby's hands shaking a little as she tries to thread the needle. I take my less blood-stained hand off the dragon's stomach and put it on her arm. "Abby, you can do this. Pretend it's an iguana, yeah?" she looks at me and nods.

"Right. A big iguana."

"Exactly." 

***

Connor appears in the door and Abby goes out to talk to him and to wash her hands, leaving me with the dragon. It's breathing steadily now. Abby reckons if she survives another hour, she'll make it. Abby had done a stellar job. She hadn't really needed me. I still have my hands on the dragon's side. 

"I could have just shot it." Becker says from beside me. I take a hand off the Dracorex to hit his shoulder lightly. 

"Her." I correct as I put my hand back. "And, no, you couldn't, Abby would have shot you." I point out. Becker nods and then looks at the dragon. 

"Is there anything I can do?" he asks. I thinks for a moment before reaching for his hand. I take it and place it next to mine on the dragon's side. 

"We need to put pressure on the wound." I explain. Becker nods and puts his other hand on the Dracorex's side. "Pro tip, this is what you do if one of us gets stabbed." I say after a moment.

"What?"

"If one of us gets stabbed. First of all, don't take the knife out. But if the knife is no longer in the wound, put pressure on it."

"None of you are going to get stabbed." he says. I can feel his eyes on me, but I don't look up from the Dracorex, our hands on its wound. Mine have blood on them.

"You don't know that." my voice is strangely soft.

"None of you are going to get stabbed." he repeats. I can't look away from our hands, from the blood. There was a reason Stephen didn't tell me how my parents died. I didn't know until I found an old newspaper. My mother had been stabbed. I frown and repeat my words.

"You don't know that. No one knows what might happen to us. We've already got one psychopath out for our blood. We never expected that. We never expected to lose the people we've lost." I make myself look him then, smiling sadly. "But I guess that's what you get when you are burdened with glorious purpose like we are."

"'Burdened with glorious purpose?' Who do you think you are, Alex Hart?"

"You didn't get that reference?"

"No."

"Man. Next time I come round to yours I'm making you watch that movie."

***

Of course. Of course, just as things seem alright, the bloody knight turns up. With_ Sarah_. Automatically, Connor grabs Abby's arm and pushes her out of the way as the knight aims his sword at him. He shoves Sarah towards him, and Connor and Abby just barely catch her. He turns to the Dracorex, to me, and walks towards us, muttering something in Latin. 

"Hey!" Connor shouts and the knight turns to him. I climb over the trailer and stand on the edge of it. The knight turns back to me as the trailer clunks from the movement. He's still muttering Latin words. I decide to channel my inner Abby. I lift my foot and kick up, slamming the knight's sword onto the trailer before kicking again, aiming at the knight himself. He stumbles, but doesn't fall. 

"You claim to be the defender of man, yet you protect this beast instead. I see now that you are truly a demon." he says. I launch myself at him and fight him before he knocks me to the floor, falling over himself. Sarah steps between him and me. I can see Abby trying to get to the Dracorex, but Connor isn't letting her go. 

"William! William!" Sarah cries, crouching in front of the knight. "Elizabeth is waiting for you." she tells him as I scramble to my feet. "You have my word of honour. The dragon will never come to your village again. Your quest can end in triumph." 

"I am weary of killing." the knight, William, tells her. 

"I know." 

"I crave only of rest and the pleasures of peace." 

"And they can all be yours."

"If I kill the beast!"

I'm on my feet in a moment, stepping between him and the Dracorex.

"No!"

But it's not just my voice that shouts the word. Abby's broken free from Connor. We stand side by side, two little demons protecting the dragon. 

"Then I will cut all three of you down!" the knight roars, raising his sword. Becker and Danny burst through the door, Becker with his gun ready, aiming at the knight. 

"Drop your weapon and get down on your knees!" he orders, voice almost as loud as the knight's. Sarah holds up her hand as she jumps in front of the gun. 

"Becker, no!" she yells as the knight turns from me, pointing his sword at Becker instead. Sarah grabs the end of Becker's gun and pushes it down. "If you kill him, history changes. His children will never be born, and who knows where it will end. He has to go back." Sarah explains. The knight turns. I can see where the point of his sword is going to land. I push in front of Abby. And his sword meets my throat instead. There's a sting of pain as it cuts me. I turn my head slightly, the sting turning into a thin line of pain. 

"He's going to kill them, Becker, do it!" Connor yells as Becker yanks his gun from Sarah's grip and aims it at the knight again. 

"You would sacrifice your life for this savage beast, so-called defender?" the knight asks. 

"Willingly." I tell him. I hear two voices at once. Abby and Becker.

"No!"

The knight isn't sure which way to turn now. He decides to step closer to me.

"And...both of you would die for this girl?" he asks, confused.

"Willingly." two voice hiss at once. I see Danny out of the corner of my eye. 

"This is not how demons act, is it, William?" he asks. 

"No. This is some sort of trick." the knight sounds like he's trying to convince himself as he turns to Danny. 

"No trick and in your heart, you know it. We're humans, just like you." Danny tells him. The knight looks very unsure of himself now as Sarah speaks. 

"You've done enough, William." she pauses before adding, "Your quest is over." 

The knight looks at me. He brings his sword to his chest, the point of it on the floor, its hilt under his chin. He starts crying, leaning on his sword before roaring suddenly and lifting his sword high in the air. There were a few cries of, "No!" before the knight plunges his sword into a can of petrol. He collapses on the floor, sobbing. I kneel beside him, reaching for his hand. He lets me take it. I help him stand and he nearly falls into me. Connor's grabbed Abby again, pulling him to her. Becker's put his gun down, but his finger is twitching over the trigger, the angry look on his face still there.. The knight buries his head in my shoulder. I pat his back carefully. 

"It's alright, William. You're safe. It's over." I tell him. He pulls back and looks at me. "You can go home, your soul clean." I say. For a moment, he's silent, his face still crumpled. But then it hardens, and he nods.

"Thank you, Alexandra, defender of man."

***

**Becker**

We all walk to the anomaly together. We had found Sir William's horse and he is leading it, walking in between Alex and Sarah. I'm just behind them, able to hear everything they say. They're a strange picture. Sarah in her flowy, earth coloured clothes. Sir William in his not-so-shiny armour, white horse by his side. Alex in her denim jacket, knives slung around her hips. 

"I thought this was hell." the knight says. 

"Yeah, we got that." Danny tells him. 

"But if it is not, can it be paradise?"

"No, it is not paradise." she tells him.

"Thank God, for it is an awful place." 

"Sometimes it is, yeah. But it's home. And your home..." Sarah say, just as we stop walking , having reached the anomaly.

"Is through there." the knight finishes for her. Alex nods. 

"Yeah." 

The knight goes to his horse and takes something out of a saddlebag. 

"Sarah." he says as he turns, and she walks towards him. He hands something to her before turning and looking at Alex. "Alexandra." he moves to stand in front of her, taking a dagger from some part of his armour I can't quite see. "A weapon worthy of the defender of man." he says, and she takes it. 

"Thank you, Sir William. I shall remember you when in battle, remember your courage." Alex says. For a moment, the knight keeps his head bent, as if bowing to her. He turns to Sarah again. 

"Ego vos relinquo in pacis." he says before returning to his horse and leading it through the anomaly. 

"What did he say?" I ask. 

"'I depart in peace.'" Sarah tells me. 

"It was more like, 'I leave you in peace.'" Danny says.

***

I walk towards Alex, who's next to the car, as her hand drops to her side. She'd been checking her neck, pain still on her face. 

"Let me see." I say. 

"It's only a tiny nick." she tells me. 

"Let me see." I repeat. She tilts her head. It's a long scratch and it's bleeding. The first aid kit is conveniently sitting beside her.

"When the knight was trying to kill us all, you and Abby said you would die to save me."

"Well, yeah. She's your best friend. I'm your friend. Also it's kind of in my contract to try and save you from life threatening situations."

"Too many people have died for me, Becker. I think I'd rather you lived for me instead."

There's a pause. I remind myself that my hands are still hovering over her neck, holding a plaster. I press it to the cut there, trying to decide what to say. But I can't find any words until I catch sight of the dagger the knight had given to her, still in its own sheath. I sit beside her and hand the dagger to her.

"Have you had a look at it yet?" I ask, and she shakes her head before pulling it out of its cover. I can hear the breath that escapes her when she sees it. There are bits of gold flecked in the dark handle. The blade itself has strange patterns carved into it. It look strangely, pristinely clean in Alex's blood stained hands.

"It's beautiful." she whispers.

"Worthy of the defender of man." I murmur, repeating Sir William's words. I'm not sure if she hears me, one of her fingers tracing the patterns on its blade.

"Celtic." she mumbles, "The Celts were great warriors." she seems to be talking more to herself than to me. She flips it in her hand, and then throws it up in the air.

"It's not a throwing knife." I tell her.

"Every knife is a throwing knife if you're angry enough. Or if you know what you're doing." she says before turning her head to smile at me. "Or do I need to remind you of that?"

Connor appears then, seemingly out of thin air.

"I need your help." he says.

"What've you done now?" Alex sighs. Connor raises an eyebrow. 

"What do you mean, what have I done?" he asks. I have the feeling Alex and I are giving him exactly the same look. "Alright. It's Rex, I've found him. But I need your help to get him back."

***

"Where were you hiding that?" I ask.

"In my locker." Alex tells me. The black top, jeans and boots I know are hers, but the leather jacket she's wearing is too big for her, and I frown at it. "It's mine." she says stubbornly before turning back to her locker for a moment. When she turns back, a pair of black aviators are sitting in her hair. She's holding another pair out to me. I look at them.

"You're kidding, right?"

"Put them on, Action Man. For a laugh."

I'm not sure why, but I do put them on. Connor grins when he sees us. His eyes land on Alex's jacket before his gaze meets hers.

"You've never looked more badass, Commander." he says.

"Thanks, Sergeant Nerd."

"He'd love it." he says, and something in his voice has changed. Alex's face softens a little.

"Thank you, Con."

Lester appears, eyebrows raised.

"Do I want an explanation for this?" he says, gesturing at me and Alex.

"No." Connor tells him.

"Now, if you'll excuse us, we have to destroy Jotunheim." Alex says, turning and linking arms with Connor. They start to walk away, saying something about kneeling and mewling quims, and Lester looks at me.

"Honestly, sir? I have no idea." I tell him.

"Yes. Well, most of the time none of us have any idea about the two of them. Do make sure they don't blow themselves up. The paperwork would be insufferable."

"Of course, sir."

***

It's only when we've reached the house I think to ask, 

"One question: who's Rex?" 

Alex just puts a finger to her lips, grinning mischievously and clearly trying not to laugh. 

"I've come for the lizard." I hear Connor say when the door opens. 

Lizard?

_Lizard?_

_They made me wear this for a bloody lizard?_

"It'll cost you three grand." I hear the other boy say. This must be a serious lizard. 

"How about you bring him to me?" it's phrased as a question, but Connor's tone makes it clear that it isn't. "Or I'll come in and get him." 

"Yeah?" the boy asks mockingly. "You and whose army?" 

Ah. That's our cue. Alex and I are mirroring each other as Connor steps to the side, guns resting against our shoulders, aviators on, both of us chewing gum (because Alex had insisted it was necessary. I think she just wanted chewing gum)

"Hello, mate." Alex calls, and I can tell in her voice that she wants to laugh.

"Mine, actually." Connor says, in response to the boy's question. The boy's eyes seem to be stuck on Alex.

"I'll call the coppers." he says, still staring. I'm just about to say something when I hear a loud_ thunk._ A knife is lodged in the doorframe, inches from the boy's face. And then I hear the infamous Commander Hart voice,

"Good luck with that. Give us the damn lizard." as she says it, I just happen to ever-so-casually shift my gun off my shoulder. The boy looks at Connor.

"I, uh, guess you'd better come in then."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's meant to be a little kinda bonus chapter with Connor's birthday and drunk Becker. Want to read it??


	22. All Night

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a little nonsense chapter that I thought was fun :)

**Alex**

For Connor's birthday, we go to the same pub we always do. We've been coming here for years, and the owner, Frank, is a good friend. It's not particularly busy, which I suppose is a good thing. We're in the same clothes we were wearing to the anomaly, which means Becker, Abby and I have guns we've had to leave outside in the cars. Which also means I had to leave my sword and my knives behind. It feels strange not to be wearing the belt that holds my knives. It's almost part of me now. Almost as much a part of me as the pair of earphones that I still have in my ears. I still hear them through the music. Stephen and Nick. But it's never as bad if I have the earphones in.

"I'll do the first round then, shall I?" Danny asks.

"Well, as team leader, I think you should." I say, sitting down heavily, Abby and Sarah landing either side of me. Frank, the owner, walks up to our table just as Danny leaves, taking Becker with him.

"Whose birthday?" he asks quietly.

"How'd you know?" Abby asks.

"Someone sent in a cake, said it was for you lot." Frank says. Abby looks at me, but I just shrug, not knowing anything about this.

"Yeah...it's Connor's birthday." she tells Frank, who nods and leaves again. About five minutes later he marches back out, carrying a cake with six candles on it. And Connor looks like a six year old when he sees it, eyes wide as lollipops. Danny's on his way back from the bar, and he starts half-singing-half-saying Happy Birthday and, as you do when you hear that song, the rest of us join in.

***

"Which one of you ordered the cake?" Sarah asks a while later. Abby and I frown at her.

"I thought you did." I say.

"Yeah, so did I." Abby adds. 

"Well we know it wasn't one of them." Sarah says, nodding at the three men that had come with us. I look at Abby, and we come to the same conclusion.

"Lester." we say together.

"Really?" Sarah asks, lifting her glass to her mouth.

"Must have been. Unless Jenny..." Abby starts.

"She wouldn't have known we'd be here." I point out.

"Huh. So he does care."

There's a loud burst of laughter from where Connor, Danny and Becker stand, and I smile. Sarah's smiling too.

"They're enjoying themselves." Abby notes, scooping some icing off what's left of the cake with her finger.

"And we get to enjoy them getting drunk." I say, and Abby smiles. Neither of the three of us are drinking, or at least not enough to be over the limit. Sarah's driving Danny home, Abby doesn't want to be drunk around her brother, and I have a deal with Lester about how much alcohol I have.

"They're our boys, aren't they." Sarah says quietly.

"Don't tell them that or Becker and Danny'll start doubting their masculinity." I say, and she laughs.

"Won't Connor?"

"Nah. Connor's halfway into a tutu anyway." Abby says, and Sarah snorts.

"Don't get drunk." I call, seeing Frank passing the boys another round of beers. Because I never want to have to deal with Drunk Danny again. He's a freaking nightmare. Connor and Danny laugh, but Becker frowns. 

"Especially you. I'm taking you home and I really don't feel like cleaning vomit off my car." I say, pointing at him.

"I don't get drunk, Alexandra." he tells me. Again, Sarah snorts. So does Connor.

***

"Oh. My. God." I groan, letting my face land in my hands. Sarah pats my shoulder. "Please tell me he's stopped."

"Yeah, I think so." Sarah says. Then, "Oh, wait, no. No, another vodka."

"Fuck me." I sigh. "I think I need a vodka."

Becker is utterly plastered. Abby and Danny are laughing themselves silly. Connor is trying to avoid our resident affection-is-for-children cynic because he keeps trying to hug him. Eventually, Connor wedges himself in between me and Sarah and Becker turns to Danny.

"You better not try and hug me, soldier boy." Danny warns. Becker plonks himself down in a chair next to Danny and points at him. He starts talking, his words slurred, some of them intelligible, sometimes running together. He's lecturing Danny about Nick. Then he stands and announces his departure to the bathroom as Abby and Sarah dissolved into giggles. I reach out and snatch the beer bottle Connor's holding. 

"Hey!" he protests. 

"Alex, you're driving." Sarah reminds me, still laughing. 

"Yeah, I'm meant to be driving that home." I say, nodding at the door Becker had disappeared through. Danny walks over to us and sits across from Sarah, next to Abby. 

"I hope the next birthday doesn't end up with a sloshed soldier." he says.

"It's mine next." I tell him.

"What's the plan?"

"Hide the alcohol."

"Good plan."

Just as Connor takes his beer back, Becker stumbles out of the bathroom, shirt covered in water. 

"Alex?" he asks, loudly. I groan and put my head in my hands again. But then I have to stand, taking my keys out of my pocket. 

"Connor, I'm going to take him home. I'll come back for you in a while." I say before walking toward Becker and taking hold of his elbow. "I'll see you later, Frank!" I call before waving at the others. 

"Good luck." Abby laughs.

***

Becker refuses to get out of the car at his block of flats. So I go round to his door and pull it open. 

"Come on, Hilary." I say. He smiles. 

"Hilary." he says, with child-like pride. 

"Yes, that's you. And this is your stop." I tell him. I think for a second before sighing and shutting the door. I climb back into the driver's seat. I can't leave him on his own, or ask Mrs Foster to watch him. "Fuck." I mutter.

"Hey! Don't say that, Jenny doesn't like it." Becker says indignantly, scowling at me.

"Dear lord, give me the strength not to strangle this man." I mumble.

"Where are we going now?" Becker asks as I start driving again. 

"My house." I tell him. Becker just nods. The instant he's in the house he flops backwards onto the couch as if its his own. He sits up again almost immediately. 

"Why am I here?" he asks as I sit on the corner of the coffee table in front of the couch.

"Because I took you here." I say, and he seems to accept this as an answer. Becker looks at me, and his face changes. 

"You're pretty." he states. 

"You're drunk." I tell him, almost but not quite laughing. 

"No, but you're, like, really pretty."

"And you're, like, really drunk. Now lie down and go to sleep, Action Man." He does as he's told, rather surprisingly. I'd expected him to be stubborn, even in this state.

"Where are you going?" he asks the question when I'm halfway to the door. 

"I'm going to get Connor." I tell him. Nancy has realised someone is in the house and has scuttled into the living room. I scoop her up and deposit her in the kitchen before she can try to climb on the couch. "I'll be back in ten minutes, tops."

***

"You know, that was brilliant." Connor says, slinging an arm over my shoulder as we cross from the car to the house. "I'm so glad Becker never noticed I was filming him." he adds. I burst out laughing. 

"He'll kill you!" 

"He has to know I have it first." Connor points out. 

"Speaking of our captain, he refused to get out of the car at his flat, and I couldn't leave him to old Mrs Foster." 

"So he's passed out on the couch?" 

"Well, I hope he is." I say. Connor nods, and then smiles wickedly. 

"Imagine the blackmail I'll have if he is." he says, rubbing his hands together as I laugh again. "I'm going to make some tea, feed Sid and Nancy." Connor adds. I nod and he heads for the kitchen. Then I pause. Usually, when one of us comes home, Sid and Nancy are tripping over themselves to say hello, like puppies. Sid fell down the stairs once when he realised we were back from work, knocking me down and making me fall onto Connor.

I decide to check the living room, just in case. I nearly burst out laughing again. Instead, I slip my phone from my pocket and take a picture. Becker's sitting up, wide awake, holding Sid in front of him, a mightily confused expression on his face, Nancy curled up in his lap. I hold in my laughter until I get to the kitchen. Connor look at me rather quizzically. I just turn my phone to him in answer, taking a mug of tea from the counter. Connor takes the phone from my hand and starts laughing too. 

Connor disappears into his room half an hour later and falls asleep almost instantly, like he always does. I don't fall asleep. Big surprise there. I reach out for my water bottle, and then I realise I've left it downstairs. Tugging a hoodie over my head, I pad down the stairs. My bottle's not in the kitchen, so I check the living room. Becker's sleeping, as far as I can tell, but Sid and Nancy are both curled up on his stomach. I lift them off carefully. Sid and Nancy are heavy, and I swear they double in weight when they fall asleep. Becker's eyes open as I put Nancy on the floor and she scuttles to the kitchen after Sid. I crouch so I'm level with him. 

"Alright?" I ask quietly. 

"Yeah." he says slowly. 

"Good." I stand to walk out but Becker grabs my hand. 

"Stay." he says. I turn. 

"What?" 

"Stay."

"Really?" I ask, and he nods. "Okay." I shove the coffee table out of the way so I can push an armchair into its place. I sit in it, facing Becker. "I'll stay till you fall asleep, okay?"

***

**Connor**

I walk into the living room, yawning, coffee in hand, Sid at my ankles. I stop and frown. The coffee table isn't usually there. And neither is that chair. I hear a distinctly Andy-like yawn.

"Having fun?" I ask lightly. The yawn is cut short. Andy's head popped out from the top of the chair, turning to look at me. 

"Connor." she says, her hair falling in front of her eyes. "Hi." she turns again and pushed the chair back carefully so she can stand. She walks to me, shoving a hand through her hair. She looks at the mug in my hand before her nose wrinkles. "Coffee. You can keep it." she tells me before walking past me, into the kitchen. I follow her. 

"Care to explain why you were there, rather than oh, I don't know, in your bed upstairs?" I ask. Andy turns, leaning against the counter, a mug with a teabag already in her hand. 

"You sound like Nick. And Danny." she tells me, her nose scrunching again. I raise an eyebrow and she sticks her tongue out at me. "He asked me to stay, so I stayed." she shrugs. 

"And you slept?" I ask. 

"All night." she tells me before realising what she's said and frowning a little. I know why. Andy hasn't slept a full night since Stephen died. There are footsteps behind me and my coffee is snatched from my hand. I turn to see Becker, a hand scratching the back of his head. He's shirtless. 

"You slept all night." I say suspiciously as Alex's hand reaches out and plucks the coffee from Becker's hand, just as he moves to drink it. 

"Connor, don't be an idiot." she says, giving my coffee back to me. "Coffee doesn't work on hangovers, Action Man." she tells Becker, who scowls at her. "Trust me, I've tried, drink some water." Alex says as she stepped towards the door. "And, you two, while you're in my house, you wear all your clothes, you hear me?" I nearly laugh at that before Alex adds, "Look down, Con." It's then I remember I'd forgotten to put my trousers on before I came downstairs. It's like the day she'd given me the keys to the house all over again. 

"Shit, Alex, I'm sorry." I say. Alex just laughs as she goes up the stairs. Becker turns to me, still scowling, and making another grab at my coffee. I duck out of the way. 

"Commander Hart says water, Captain." I remind him. He starts grumbling darkly as I leave the room. Alex comes out of her room as I walk along the corridor upstairs. "Care to explain the shirtlessness?" I ask, stopping in front of her. Alex glares at me. 

"Now you sound like all three of them." she says. I cross my arms as best I can with the mug of coffee. "He wasn't like that when I got up." she tells me. "Or when I went downstairs last night."

"Really." I say, my voice a strange but excellent mix of sarcasm and scepticism. Alex hits my arm. 

"Do you honestly think I would?" she asks. 

"Well, you know, you have been very...close...Lily said she found you in the bathroom together after that whole thing with Johnson..."

"Connor Temple, I swear-" she gets cut off by a voice downstairs. 

"Can you both shut up? You're so loud!"

Alex and I frown at each other. We're speaking rather quietly, considering our normal volume. Then I remember, at the same time Alex does. 

"Hangover." we say together, our frowns melting. They are soon replaced by grins as we turn to the stairs, seeing Becker standing at the bottom of them, shirt now on. "Sorry, can you repeat that?" we yell together. Becker shuts his eyes as we shout. 

"Can you shut up!" he calls back. 

"Not really!" Alex and I yell together before turning and ducking into our rooms as Becker starts climbing the stairs.

***

**Alex**

"You're lucky this is our day off, Becks." I says before sipping my tea. 

"You're not even dressed." Becker points out. "And don't call me that." he adds. 

"Am too." 

"Alex, that's what you sleep in." 

"Oh? Seen that often, have you?" Connor asks. I throw a cushion at him.

"I know. I don't sleep in jeans though, do I? And it's a t-shirt, I can wear it anywhere." I say to Becker. 

"She's right." Connor says. 

"You're meant to be on my side, Temple." Becker says, leaning his head back to glare at Connor. Connor points at me. 

"I'm under her roof, I'm on her side." he says. I laugh. 

"Now, how come that rule doesn't apply at Abby's?" I ask. Connor stand. 

"I'm going to go find Sid and Nancy." he announces before leaving the room. I just shake my head. Becker looks at me. 

"Did I do anything stupid last night?" he asks. 

"You don't remember?" I ask. He shakes his head slowly, carefully. I grin. 

"What? What did I do?" he asks. Then, when I don't answer, "Alexandra, do you want to tell me about what happened when I was drunk?"

"No, I don't think I will." I say, and he groans in annoyance, closing his eyes.

"At least tell me Connor didn't record any of it." Becker says. I let myself smile manically for the split second before he opens his eyes, and then I morph my face into the picture of innocence.

"No, of course he didn't."


	23. Year 3000

_Season 3, Episode 8_ **   
** **Alex**

About two weeks after Connor's birthday, there's a new anomaly. We've all squeezed into the same car to get to the anomaly site. Illegal, but fun. I've managed to bag the front seat next to Danny, who's driving. I enjoy it when Danny drives but the others aren't used to it yet. They're all clinging on desperately while Danny and I laugh. The car stops abruptly and Connor bashes his head into the back of my seat. Everyone starts complaining as we pile out. 

"Was that really necessary?" Sarah asks. 

"My car, my rules." Danny replies. 

"I hate it when you pull rank." Connor complains, detector in hand. 

"Yeah, well I hate sitting in the back." Becker adds. I look over my shoulder at him, grinning. 

"Oh stop whining Action Man. You sat in front last time." I remind him. 

"It's been three turns since I sat in the front." Connor points out. 

"Who keeps count?" Becker asks. 

"Connor does." Abby tells him, laughing. We walk towards what looks like a race track. We're about to step onto the road when we hear a loud banging noise. We turn towards it and see a man banging on the window of a little watch tower type building. 

"Oi! You lot!" he shouts. 

"Friendly round here." Connor remarks sarcastically. 

"'You lot'." I reply, equally sarcastic, "Honoured I'm sure." 

The watchman continues to shout, "You can't go in there!" Abby looks at me, confused. 

"Why not?" she asks. At that moment, two cars whizz past, feet from us. Ah. That's why. Connor and Danny stare after the cars. Danny turns to Connor after a moment. 

"So where's this anomaly?" he asks. Connor's still in a daze. He takes a second to register that Danny is talking to him. He looks at Danny, clearly not having heard the question. "The anomaly?" Danny asks, tapping the detector in Connor's hands. We have to leave and go round the other side of the track to get to the garage, which meant more of Danny's manic driving. 

"It's in that garage there." Connor tells us as we get out of the car again. Danny asks a worker that was next to where he'd stopped the car if he'd seen anything unusual. The worker says he hadn't. 

"You'd think someone would have noticed." Sarah says. 

"All right, it's in here somewhere." Connor tells us once we're inside. 

"Right, let's split up and find it." Danny says. 

"I'll evacuate the immediate area until we know what we're dealing with." Becker says.

"Guys?" Connor calls after a short while, "It's here." 

The anomaly is directly across an opening onto the track. It's bigger than usual. We stand in front of it. I hear a squelch as Abby steps in something. She and Danny crouch next to what she had stepped in. 

"What is it?" Danny asks. 

"Some kind of animal secretion." Abby tells him as I lean over them to see. 

"Creature incursion." Connor says. 

"What kind of creature?" Sarah asks. 

"One that secretes goo." I say.

***

Connor, Sarah and Danny join Abby and I at the table we're at with the bug bits. 

"The insect creature is derived from Hymenoptera, the same family as ants, bees, sawflies and wasps." Abby explains while Danny makes faces in the magnifying glass. 

"So this thing can sting?" Connor asks. 

"In this case the stinger has evolved into an ovipositor." Abby answers. 

"Well that's a relief." Danny says. Abby and I stare at him in disbelief. He sees our expressions. "Isn't it?" 

"It uses it to lay eggs inside a host." Abby tells him. 

"Human beings would do very nicely." I add. Danny and Connor make some disgusted comments. 

"There was something else." Abby continues, "I found very high levels of selenium in it. It's a chemical, like sulphur." I glance at Sarah. She's straightened up. I knew she had found the same chemical on the artefact. She explains this to the others. 

"So the bug is from the same place as the artefact." Danny states. 

"It's possible." I tell him. 

"And the artefact is from the future, right?" he asks, and Abby nods. "Which means the future could be just the other side of the anomaly." Danny and Sarah share a look and then move to leave the table. "You finish up here." Danny tells Abby. He points at Connor. "Give Becker's men a call. Tell them we're on our way." he says, and then he and Sarah take off. Connor puts his phone to his ear. There's silence for a moment, and then I see him frown. Then he says a single word,

"Jack." Abby looks up sharply from what she had been doing. "Okay, now I'm confused." Abby takes the phone off Connor. 

"What are you doing on this phone?" she asks. I mouth a question at Connor, asking why Jack had answered the phone. He shrugs in reply. "You stole my detector." Abby says. Shit. This is not good. "Dead?" Abby asks, looking to me. My body is suddenly on high alert, in stark contrast to the soft piano music filtering through my earphones. "Who's dead? Jack just calm down. Tell me what's happening." I can hear cracks and clicks coming from the phone. Abby takes the phone away from her ear and looks at me, a helpless look on her face. 

I don't think. I run, heading for the armoury, desperately hoping Becker will be there. He's halfway out the door when I get there. He puts his arms out to stop me crashing into him.

"Where's the fire?" he asks, smiling. He sees my face and his smile drops. "What's wrong?" 

"Abby's brother. Jack's found the anomaly. Becker, someone's dead and Jack-"

I haven't finished my sentence before Becker's ducked back into the armoury, appearing seconds later to hand me a gun.

***

"There's no sign of him." Sarah says as we enter the garage at the race track. The anomaly's open. Realisation dawns on Abby's face at the same moment as I realise it myself. 

"He's gone through the anomaly." she says before walking towards it. "I have to find him."

"Abby. Abby, I'm sure he's okay." Sarah says, hurrying to catch up with her. But we don't know that. If he is in the future, like we think he is, hen he's with the predators. But Sarah doesn't know about the predators. How could she? Abby, Connor and I never talk about them. We just have nightmares of them.

"What was he doing here anyway?" Danny asks.

"I don't know." Abby tells him. Then, "He stole my detector."

"It's your responsibility to keep that safe!" Danny's voice is sharp and with Abby as upset as she is, I don't want them to start arguing.

"Danny. He's her little brother. You remember what little brothers are like." I say quickly. Danny's face changes slightly, and then softens. He doesn't say anything else.

"This will take time to fix." Connor says as we reach him, kneeling beside the crushed anomaly locking device.

"What happened?" Danny asks.

"It's been run over by a car."

I shoot a look at Danny over Abby's head and nod at her. Danny rather looks like he wants to snap out an angry retort. I just glare harder.

"Look we'll get him back, okay? I promise." he says apologetically, taking hold of Abby's elbow. I suspect more to stop her from running through than to comfort her. "Connor, you stay here and get that fixed." he orders. 

"No." Connor says. "I'm staying with Abby."

"Thanks for the help." Becker mutters, dropping a heavy bag at my feet.

"Eh, it's your job." I say.

"I did not sign up for grunt work."

"No, you signed up for a cushy security job where all you had to do was make yourself coffee and eat custard creams."

"Rude." he says, poking me.

"True." I say, elbowing him.

"Danny, I can probably figure all this out." Sarah says. Danny shakes his head a little but doesn't protest. 

"There's a backup in the car." Connor tells her as I move forward to stand beside Abby, "All it needs is resetting and synchronising." Abby starts walking towards the anomaly again, and I go with her. 

"Come on." she pauses when Becker speaks. 

"Look, this isn't some school trip, we've got to wait for backup!" he says. Abby turns her head slightly, just enough to see me.

"Together." I say, taking her hand. She nods firmly.

"Together."

"Alexandra, Abigail, don't you-" Becker starts, but Abby cuts him off.

"You wait if you want." she says, and we step through together.

***

Between Abby yelling Jack's name, I hear another noise. A noise I recognise. I look up at the same time Becker does. A predator is crawling down the building in front of us. The building the others are walking next to. Connor sees it and grabs Abby, putting his hand over her mouth. Danny catches on and stands still, silent. Becker aims his gun at the predator. 

"No!" I hiss, punching his arm, trying to distract him. He pulls the trigger anyway. The noise rips through the air, deafening in the silence. It has the same effect as if we'd just thrown up a flare in the dead of night. The others duck round to the front of the building. I go too, dragging Becker with me and swearing loudly in my head. 

"Well done." Abby hisses, "You've just alerted every predator for miles." 

"Well I didn't have much choice, did I, Abigail?" Becker snaps. His voice is loud. I cover his mouth with my hand. 

"What Becker means to say is sorry for being an idiotic arse." I hissed. He tears my hand away and glares at me. I move to the other side of the door, my gun poking out between two pillars. 

"What are you talking about?" Danny asks. 

"Predators." Abby says.

"We don't know how they evolved or when, but they're really intelligent, really quick. And really mean." Connor continues. 

"The ultimate predator. It's a case of we kill them or they kill us." I finish. 

"Why are we whispering?" Becker asks, still furious. 

"They locate their prey using echolocation." Abby says. 

"They see sound." Connor explains.

"Great." Danny says. 

"If those things got loose. Humanity never stood a chance." Connor mumbles, more to himself. 

"That's it." Becker hisses. "We go back. We need backup."

I put my gun down and whirl round as Abby says,

"He could be injured." 

"We can't leave him here with them." I spit, screwing a suppressor onto my gun as Becker does the same. 

"Yeah, and just how easy is it to kill them? You said they're the ultimate predator." he counters.

"Lucky for you, you're in the company of one of the few human beings who's managed to kill these things." I tell him.

"We stay." Danny says firmly before either of us can say anything else. Becker looks away from me and towards Danny. 

"You're meant to make the tough decisions, Danny." he says. 

"I just did." Danny looks at Abby. "And you, you calm down. You wait for my signal." Abby's gaze fell to the ground. 

"Okay." she answers. Danny gestures for me to go first. I'm followed by Becker. He kneels by the first car while I stand, gun pointing down the street. 

"You do know he's almost certainly dead, don't you?" he says to me.

"You're appealing to the wrong person, mate."

"But-"

"But nothing. Let's go." I snap before moving forwards, Connor and Abby doing the same on the other side of the cars while Danny trails Becker. Just before I pass the third car, something bursts out of the door. I feel a slash of burning pain on my neck as I try to push it off. I kick it back into the car and shut the door on it, just about managing not to cry out in pain. I look up to see Danny's shocked face. "That was a baby." I tell him. He looks at Connor, who just nods, confirming that my words are right. I touch my neck but take my hand away almost instantly. 

"This is insanity." Becker hisses. 

"We're not going back now." I hiss back. 

"Move your head." Danny says, and I do as I'm told. He tries to touch my neck but pulls away when I a small yelp escapes me. Connor's hovering over his shoulder. 

"I don't think it's too deep." he says. 

"It's fine. I've had worse. Where's Abby?"

She had edged further down the street while we were distracted. Becker races up to her as another baby predator bursts out of a car window, launching itself at her. He shoots it and takes Abby into a building. The rest of us follow as fast as we can.

"Let me tell you one more time. Getting ourselves killed will not help your brother! We need a fully armed search and rescue unit." Becker's voice is angry, and so is his face, lit up by his torch. He's still got hold of Abby's shoulder. Abby stares up at him, defiant as ever, and shakes herself free. I pull him away from her and drag him a few steps away from the others. 

"What the hell do you think you're doing, Becker?" I demand. 

"I'm trying to keep you alive! You're already injured." he snaps. His face and voice soften and his hand reaches for my neck. "Let me have a look." I bat his hand away. 

"No. Agitating and terrifying Abby will just make her more scared and more determined to find her brother. How do you think she feels? She blames herself, Becker. Try to understand that." he looks at me, his face utterly defeated. 

"Look, I-" 

"He's the only family she's got. If there's even the slightest chance of saving him, don't you think she would take it? Don't you think any of us would take that chance?"

"Alex-"

"Stop. Just stop for a second and use your heart."

***

We've found Jack. He's fallen down into some kind of underground bunker. Danny's gone down. About a minute later, a rope is tied to the rusty railing next to us and lowered down to pull Jack up. Jack is heavier than we were expecting. I have to help Abby and Connor, my feet planted firmly either side of the opening. I hear Danny's voice from down below.

"Get him out of here!"

Then Becker from where he stands behind us,

"Alex, I need you here."

"Go." Connor mutters, and I stand, picking up my gun.

"Fuck." it slips out before I can stop it. Predators surround us on all sides.

"Alex...Alex, what do we do?" he sounds...scared.

"I don't know. Shoot one of them and hundreds more'll come. Shoot one and they'll kill us all." I sound scared too. This is my nightmare come to life before my eyes. My gun is trembling slightly in my hand. A thought strikes me. If I take off, making as much noise as I can, I can distract them. I can-

But then I notice that Becker has disappeared from my side.

"Whatever happens, get him out of there. Good luck." I hear him say to Connor. And then he's back beside me. 

"Alex. Do something for me."

"What?"

"Live."

And then he turns. But he doesn't get far. I've grabbed his hand.

"What are you doing?" I ask.

"I think you already know what I'm doing."

Of course I do. The exact same thought, the same idea, has hit him too. For a moment he stares at my hand holding his.

"I'm using my heart."

And then he's gone. I hear myself yelling his name before I realise what I'm doing. I hear the gunshots a split second later, one after another after another. I want to run too. I want to run and grab him and shove him into a building where he'll be safe and then I can keep running, never stop running. Never stop running and never go back. But I can't. I can hear Abby and Connor struggling with Jack's weight. Robotically, I move towards them, grab the rope and pull.

***

**Danny**

Alex sits as far away from the rest of us as she can get. She has her fingers wrapped around a necklace, pressing it against her mouth, her other hand curled into a fist. She stares at the floor, not reacting to anything.

"Becker?" I ask. I haven't seen him.

"He tried to save us." Connor tells me. Something cold runs through me. _Tried._ That explains Alex then.

"Are you okay?" Abby asks her brother

"I'm in agony." he replies, "If you'd told me the truth, I wouldn't be here. Where are we? How come it took you so long to get here? I was terrified." Alex reacts before Abby does, her head snapping up. I can see her tears from here.

"Becker sacrificed himself to save you and that's all you can say?" Abby asks sharply. At the word 'sacrificed' Alex's eyes close. And then I understand. She thinks it should have been her. She's blaming herself. She always does. And, knowing Alex, she would have done exactly what Becker had done. She would have thrown herself to the monsters if it meant keeping us safe. I make my way down the bus, muttering,

"Keep that kid away from me."

I crouch beside Alex, but she just turns away from me, leaning her head against the wall. She lets me put a hand on her shoulder.

"Who's Becker?" Jack asks.

"He's the man who took on the deadliest creatures in history to save you." Alex says. Her voice is thick, her words final. I don't know too much about these creatures, but I know that nine times out of ten, you don't survive them.

"So?" Jack asks, and Alex's shoulders go up to her ears.

"So? So!" Abby's voice is angry again, and I turn my head in time to see her grabbing her brother and shoving him against one of the support poles on the bus. "He's dead. And it's your fault. You stupid, selfish-" she stops when Jack makes a noise of pain. "I thought you were dead." Abby says before hugging her brother. "Can we go home?" she asks me.

"That might be the tricky part." I answer.

***

With every step I take, Alex is pulling, trying to get away from me. I had to drag her off the bus. She's trying to stay behind, trying to make us leave her there. But there is no chance in hell that I'm losing her.

At least, that's what I think until she manages to get free and she takes off in the opposite direction.

"Alex!" Abby shouts. I can see her torn between staying with her brother and going after the friend that's as good as a sister to her.

"Keep going." I tell her. She doesn't move. "Go, Abby!"

Alex hasn't gotten far. She yells when I grab her arm, and I have to cover her mouth with my hand so the predators don't decide to go for us instead. I'm about to turn and go back to the others when something catches my eye. Captain Wilder. Captain Wilder, Johnson's right hand man, is here._ Here._ With a woman I don't recognize. I know Alex has seen them too. She's suddenly still, staring at them until,

"Danny!"

I'm not even sure who's shouting, but I don't hesitate. I turn and run, dragging Alex with me.

***

**Alex**

I try to walk past Danny when the medic's finished with me. I don't quite manage it.

"What the hell was that?" he hisses angrily. His grip on my elbow hurts. When he realises this he pulls me round the corner and lets me go. "You were going to stay there, weren't you?"

"Yes." I say. There's no point denying it. "Yes, I was."

"Why?"

"Why?" I repeat, incredulous. "Danny, have you seen the things I've caused? The death? It's all my fault, Danny. All of it."

"Who told you that? Why the hell would you believe that?"

"Because she was right!"

"She?" I wonder aloud before realising, "Helen. Alex-"

"She was right, Danny. Is right. It's my fault that Ryan and Tom and Valerie and Stephen and Nick are dead. It's my fault Paddy's gone. It's my fault Becker ran off. And...if...if I stayed behind there-"

"If you'd stayed there you would have died."

"I know that!" I snap. And Danny softens completely as he realises what I'm saying.

"Sunshine-"

I don't listen to the rest of his sentence. I turn, tears already escaping me. I stalk past the car, past the medic trying to patch Becker up, past Abby and Connor talking quietly to each other. I'm just past them when I feel a hand catch mine.

"Danny, I said-"

"I'm not Danny."

I turn, a fist landing on Becker's shoulder.

"Why did you do that?" I demand. He doesn't have to ask what I mean.

"If I hadn't you would've."

"But why!"

"For the same reason you would have." he says it as if it's obvious. I hit him again, and then my hands fly to my mouth.

"Sorry. Sorry, I'm sorry."

"Why?"

"Because...it's my fault."

"How? How is any of this your fault?"

"Because I yelled at you, I told you off. I just didn't want Abby to have to make that choice." I feel like I have to explain this, so I do, even though he doesn't ask me to, "It's a horrible choice. Keep yourself safe and lose them, or risk everything to save what you love. I just...I don't want anyone else to have to make that decision."

"I know." he says simply. And I'm suddenly angry at him again.

"Then why! Why! You idiot! You-" I'm very nearly shouting, but then my voice is muffled.

**Danny**

"You idiot! You-" Alex's voice is cut off suddenly, and I turn around to see why. Becker's hugging her. I've never seen him hug someone. She's that much shorter than him that he's almost bent over to bury his head in her shoulder. And then Alex goes up onto her toes to hug him back, and she's almost lifted off the ground.

Just a few feet to the left, Abby's on the stairs, leaning over a bar to kiss Connor. For a moment, I stand there, just looking at the four of them. Sarah appears beside me.

"Had to happen sooner or later, didn't it?" she says, nodding at Abby and Connor.

"Yeah. Pay up." I say, and she hands me a fiver.

"I can't believe you made me bet on it." she says before nodding at Becker and Alex. "And give that fiver back, and another."

"That wasn't the bet." I remind her.

"I'll have that tenner off you soon enough, Danny Quinn." she tells me before going to the car as I call to the others,

"Alright, you guys, let's get out of here."

***

When we get back to the ARC, Sarah and I are the only ones still awake, though her head keeps nodding. I look at the mirror in front of me, into the back seat, and smile. All four of them are squeezed in there together, none of them with seatbelts. All four of them are asleep. 

Abby's head is against the window, a single finger linked with one of Connor's. his head is on her shoulder, his arm drooping across her legs. Alex has curled up, one hand still holding onto one of her necklaces. Her head is in the space where Becker's neck meets his shoulder. His arm has somehow made its way across Alex's shoulders, his own head tipped sideway to rest on top of hers. 

I feel something land on my arm. Sarah has lost her battle with exhaustion. Her eyes have fallen closed, and her head has fallen sideways onto my arm. As I look at her, hair falls in front of her eyes. I move it out of the way for her and, trying not to jostle her too much, start the car up again. Screw the ARC. I'm taking them home.


	24. Remember Me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> At the end, pain, and some more pain. Also injuries, but no descriptions of them, just descriptions of pain (correction, there are also mentions of blood. Telling you know just in case that might be a problem)

**Becker**

I had actually managed to fall asleep. My phone rings, waking me up. I roll myself over and pick it up, squinting as the bright light hits my eyes. I see the name and answer the call, 

"Hey."

_Oh God, I've just woken you up, I'm sorry. I'll just-_

"Alex. Alex, it's fine." I rub my eyes. "What time is it anyway?" her voice is so quiet when she answers I don't hear her. "Sorry, what?" 

_Half past three. I'm sorry._

"Alex, really, it's fine." I tell her, sitting up slowly. "Is something wrong?" 

_No, not really. It's just...it's just too quiet. I'm the only one here. There's no Nick, no Stephen or Helen or Connor. No dinosaurs. No drunk soldiers._

"How long has it been since you slept? Properly slept?"

_Since Connor left._

"And how long has that been?"

_A couple weeks._ Alex admits. I sigh. I knew she had trouble sleeping, but I didn't realise it to this extent.

"Okay, how can I help?" I ask. 

_This was stupid, I'm sorry, I'll leave you to go back to sleep. Sorry._

"Alexandra, don't you hang up on me!" I reach out my hand and find a book. "How does The Hobbit sound?" I ask. There's a pause.

_You...you're going to read to me?_

"If it'll help you get to sleep, yes." I frown at the book in my hand. I don't own a copy of the Hobbit.

_Becker, is that my book? I've been looking for that for weeks._

"Maybe. Why was it in my room?"

_I can fit on your windowsill. I wanted to sit there. _

I flip the book open one-handed.

"In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit." I begin. There's another sigh,

_Are you really doing this?_ Alex asks 

"As I said, if it'll help you get to sleep, yes." I tell her. I want to help her. So I will. When she was living here, I would wake up in the middle of the night and Alex would be sitting on the sofa or her bed, just staring into space. She'd talk in her sleep, move around. When I sat next to her, she would talk to me, tell me what was going on inside her head when I asked. And I'd stay with her, waiting for her to fall asleep. But so often, she never did. I've read to her before, on nights she's tried to read herself to sleep and simply gotten frustrated with herself. I'd take the book from her hands and carry on where she had left off. Granted, I read slower than she does, more stop-and-start, but it had helped before, so it's worth a try now.

_Okay. _Alex's voice says, pulling me sharply out of my thoughts._ Okay._

***

_Season 3, Episode 9_ **   
** **Alex**

When I wake, sunlight is streaming through the gaps either side of my blinds. I'm lying on my side, my phone still cradled next to my ear. It is completely dead. I am _very _late. I shower quickly, just long enough to wake myself up, before pulling the grey hoodie I'd slept in back over my head, tugging black dungarees over it. I stumble out and into the car, leaving my phone behind and on charge. I'm hardly halfway to the ARC when my handheld starts beeping. I pull over and check it, and then turn the car around, heading for the anomaly.

***

**Becker**

Alex looks thoroughly ruffled when she finds us.

"Hi. I'm here. Yes, I know I was late." she says in a rush. Her hair's damp. And she's wearing my hoodie. Hang on. _My_ hoodie?

"Where were you, you weren't answering any of our messages." Abby says.

"Sorry. Phone died." Alex says without looking at her, instead looking at the trees behind me. Connor's frowning at Alex's clothes. Then he looks at me. Shit. He's realised it's my hoodie too.

"It's alright. Becker was late too." he says, far too casually. "His phone was dead too."

_For fuck's sake, Temple. _Yes, I had fallen asleep halfway through chapter whatever-I-was-on. So, yes, I woke up late. Connor looks from me to Alex and back again, a few times. Then he opens his stupid mouth.

"Were you two-"

"What about the anomaly?" Not for the first time I think,_ Thank God for Sarah Page._

"It's, uh, over there." he says, pointing vaguely in the direction of the trees. Several of my soldiers move past me in the direction Connor points. He frowns at his handheld detector. So does Sarah, and Alex. "Strange. My detector's gone all funny." he mutters.

"So's mine." Sarah says.

"Mine too." Alex says, moving to stand beside them. All three screens are glitching, unable to settle on a location.

"Weird." Connor mumbles.

"Where's Danny?" Abby asks.

"Huh?"

"Where's Danny?"

"Um. I'm sure he's on his way." Connor says before pointing at the little barbecue in front of us. "Sausage, anyone? Alex? Or did you get some last night?" Alex hits him.

***

**Alex**

So. Embolotherium. Not quite the peaceful grazers we'd imagined. Rather violent, actually. Connor and I had had to lead the bull, of course the most aggressive of them all, away from all the others. Thank God I knew how to drive a quad. Problem is, we were distracting the bull while Abby and Sarah got the other Embolotherium to the anomaly. And they managed it. But the anomaly closed before any of them could go through. And then the bull caught up with them. So now they're all stampeding towards the campsite.

Everything went to shit, just like every time we try and have a plan. I think we should just stop making plans.

***

This is very, very illegal. Connor's sitting on Abby. I've ended up sitting on Becker. Poor Sarah is stuck in between us. There's the mystery woman Danny and I saw sitting in the front, which I'm not even going to begin to try and understand. I have this unshakeable feeling, like I know her somehow. She just seems so familiar to me. 

"Danny, we've got to get them to change direction." I say, leaning forward to point in the direction I want him to go. Danny nods and swerves the car, bashing it into the Embolotherium's sides. 

"Are you two insane?" the woman from the future asks. 

"Depends who you ask." Danny tells her at the same time as I say,

"Yes." 

The car jerks and I fling out an arm to stop Sarah from going flying through the windshield as Becker's arms become vice like around me and all the breath leaves my body. The car speeds up even more and swerves to a stop at the campsite. All of us tumble out and start shouting at people to get away, pulling tents open and dragging people out. The woman from the future just takes slow steps, staring at the device in her hands.

"Becker!" I shout, staring at the oncoming prehistoric rhinos.

"What?" he asks, pulling a man from his tent.

"They're too close. We have to..." I don't particularly want to finish the sentence, but I know that he knows what I mean. I see him nod to a soldier. I turn, pulling out my own gun. I see the end of Becker's gun out of the corner of my eye. And then all I can hear is gunfire and fright. I can hear Abby screaming at us, yelling at us to stop. I have to ignore her, shoot another Embolotherium. And then the woman from the future steps into the gap between me and Becker, Danny beside her. I don't watch her, but look to the Embolotherium again. They're right on top of us now. An anomaly spins into life out of nowhere and the Embolotherium disappear through it. I stand and turn to the woman from the future. She's holding her device out, and from the way Danny's gawking at her I know that she somehow caused the anomaly. 

"How did you do that?" Connor asks. 

"The technology's simple enough." she tells him. 

"Really? Try me." she ignores him and turns to Danny. 

"Now will you help me, please?" I hear her ask. "I have to get a message to a man called James Lester. And to a girl called Alexandra Hart."

***

Lester has me and Danny in his office. Christine Johnson is here, along with Captain Wilder. Abby's downstairs with the woman from the future. 

"Where is she?" Johnson's looking at me as she asks but it's Danny who answers. 

"Who?" 

"I suggest you co-operate immediately, Quinn, or I'll personally see to it that you and your ward spend a very long time in jail."

"Leave Alex out of this."

"She'll end up in prison too. Answer my question."

"You're really going to have to work on your small talk." I remark, earning a snort from Danny and a glare from Lester. Danny shifts slightly, I guess to keep the woman from the future out of view. I glance down and out of the window that form most of Lester's office walls. The mystery woman is talking to Abby, standing near the artefact. 

"Where is she?" Johnson demands. 

"I don't know. Your guess is as good as mine." Danny tells her. 

"I assume we're speaking about a certain mystery woman." Lester says. 

"Quinn and Hart know exactly who I'm talking about." Johnson's eyes never leave mine as she moves to stand beside me. Her eyes move to the floor downstairs, where the woman is, and her slimy smile returns. Lester sighs, 

"She's downstairs isn't she?" 

"Yep." Danny and I say together. Lester stands up. 

"Nice work." he mutters, "Subtle." 

I lead the way out of Lester's office and down the stairs towards the woman. As I walk towards her, the mystery woman's arm shoots out and grabs mine, pulling me towards her. I let out a yelp and the others turn. I feel cold metal at my temple. She's holding a gun to my head. Becker, Sarah and Connor burst through the door, Becker's gun already trained on the woman. His face falls as he sees me in the woman's grip and Sarah goes pale. 

"Christine!" the mystery woman calls. I can hear the smugness in her voice. I have that niggling feeling again, the feeling that I know her. "Come over here, would you?" for the first time ever, Johnson is silent. The gun leaves my head and points at Johnson. In return, Wilder's gun is now also aimed at the woman. "Now." the woman continues. Johnson tries to plaster on her fake, slimy smile but fails. She walk forwards and stands beside the woman. "Tell your dog not to shoot." Johnson gives the order to Wilder and he puts his gun down. Becker's gun doesn't waver from the woman. Her gun returns to my head. "Thanks for bringing me here Danny. I don't know how I would have done it without you." the woman's gun moves to my face, hovering over my cheek. My shoulders shoot upwards, almost reaching my ears. Becker's grip on his gun tightens as he debates what to do. Connor fidgets, wondering the same thing. "You know nothing." something's happening. Her voice is changing as she speaks. Out of the corner of my eye I can see her face...shifting. I grow cold and Abby and Connor's faces are white with shock. "Now give me the artefact, or she dies."

It's Helen.

She looks sideways at me, smiling. 

"Darling Alex. How much you've grown, even since the last time I saw you." My first instinct is to struggle, to get away, but she tightens her grip and presses the gun harder to my head. Wilder raises his gun again. Becker takes a step forward, at the same time as Danny does. 

"That's close enough." Helen tells him. He takes another step, and so does Danny. She hits my head with the gun and I yelp. She presses the gun underneath my chin. "Back off Captain!" her shout makes me jump. Becker stops. Helen's voice becomes calmer, the smugness coming back. "Bck away. If you want to keep her safe, you'll put that gun down, and back off." she spots Connor and Danny trying to sneak around the side of the circle of people towards us. "Get back there, Connor, Danny." she looks directly at Danny now. "My my, Danny. You've not kept your promise very well, have you? You said you would protect her. Look how many injuries my darling Alex has." she presses the gun to my neck, the sore part where the skin is still healing from that damn future predator. I hiss in pain and screw my eyes shut. I wish I'd thought to put something over it today. 

"Helen don't you dare." that's Lester's voice. He sounds scared. "What do you want?" Helen lifts the gun off my neck and I open my eyes. She's aiming it in Johnson's direction now.

"Give me the artefact," she repeats. "Or they both die." I can see Connor lifting up the artefact, Becker signalling to his soldiers to put their guns down. Abby's face is as pale as paper as she holds onto Sarah's arm.

"There's no way out, Helen." Lester tells her. Helen lets go of me. I have a chance. I take it. But then her arm is suddenly back around me, something cold and sharp is at my neck. A knife. Something in my head spirals, and I can hear screams that aren't really there, screams from months ago. My shoulder twitches involuntarily, a swirling line of pain tracing its way round the scar there. Helen and knives is bad, very bad. I'm not sure if she still has the gun, if she's still aiming it at Johnson.

"I killed Nick. You know I'm not bluffing." she says. 

"And you know I have absolutely no intention of letting you walk out of here." Lester replies. 

"Playing games with their lives, James." 

"Oh, go ahead. Shoot Christine. Perfectly fine with me. Just give Alex back." 

"That is not funny." Johnson snaps. 

"Depends where you're standing." Lester tells her. "Now, Helen, let Alex go and we can talk." Helen moves the knife a little, cutting the brand new skin and all at once opening the wound on my neck again. I cry out in pain and several things happen. Danny and Sarah move towards me, Becker lifts his gun and steps forward and Lester pales. "Alright, Connor, give her the artefact!" Connor steps towards us with the artefact in his hands. I manage to speak. 

"Connor, no. Go back, Con-" Helen presses the knife again and I yelp again. I see Abby moving forward. Helen puts her gun in a pocket. As Connor hands her the artefact he speaks, 

"Just tell me. Tell me how you could kill him. How you could bear to kill him. How you believe you could so easily kill Andy."

"I had no choice." Helen says, "I loved him, Connor. But he was part of all this. Part of everything that goes wrong. And so are these two. This is the beginning of the chaos. It all starts here." she takes the artefact from him and pushes it into a pocket at the side of her bag. She takes the gun back out again, pointing it at Johnson once more. 

"What are you talking about?" Lester asks. 

"I thought that killing Nick would be enough, but it wasn't. So now I have to finish it once and for all."

***

I'm thrown to the floor of an abandoned cupboard inside Johnson's HQ. My neck is still bleeding. It hurts. It really hurts. She stands over me, still holding Johnson, her gun at Johnson's throat.

"Dear, darling Alex. What am I going to do with you? I have two choices. I could kill you, but I know one day you'll join me. So I could leave you alive. I think I'll leave it to the universe to decide whether you should live or not." Helen's eyes are mad. "If you see your uncle, darling, do say hello." there's a sudden_ thump_ on my head and everything goes black.

***

I can hear voices.

"We're not leaving without her." Danny? 

"Just give us twenty minutes, please." that's Connor. 

"We should shoot you just for being here." I don't know that voice. I hear the click of a gun. 

"I'll shoot you myself if you don't let us look for her." Becker snaps. 

"She probably killed her too." the voice I don't recognise again. I hear a sharp slap. 

"Don't you dare." Abby warns. I hear a thump and a groan of pain. 

"We're looking for her whether you like it or not." Sarah says. I hear footsteps walking away and voices calling my name. They grow quieter and quieter while I try to speak_._ Finally I manage to croak out a word. 

"Here." 

My voice is too quiet. They'll never hear me. They won't find me before I bleed out. And I know I'm bleeding. I can feel it slick on my hand. I can feel it soaking through my clothes. I start to cry, and it hurts even more. I can't move, I can hardly see and I can barely make a sound. They won't find me. 

"I'm here." I say again. My voice is slightly stronger. I call out as I sob, pain shooting through me. "Please!" I hear a set of footsteps again. "I'm here! Please help me!" I hear the door click open, see the sliver of light as it opened. "Please!" I say again. I hear a shout. 

"She's here!" I know that voice. I can just about see him now. I can't see properly, but I recognise him. 

"Danny."

I can feel a hand on my face, another moving my hair. 

"It's okay, it's alright. We're going to get you out now. You're safe now." 

Danny's lifting me up even as I shriek in pain at the movement. There's pain everywhere, but there are three deep wells of it. My neck, below my ribs, my leg. It's unbearable. I can hear Abby's voice as Danny carries me out of the cupboard. I still can't see properly. Everything's blurry.

"Oh God. Oh God, Al." 

I hear Connor, "Andy. Andy, no." 

Sarah already sounds like she's in tears.

I hear a loud clatter as something falls to the floor and then I hear running footsteps. I feel other arms around me as Danny passes me to someone else. And it hurts so much to be moved. I hear Danny's voice again,

"Lester where's that ambulance?" a pause. "Yes. It's her. I don't know what she's done to her, but it's bad, real bad." his voice wavers. The person carrying me starts moving, and it hurts. It hurts to move and it hurts to cry. Everything hurts. The person carrying me speaks, 

"Oh God, Alex." it's Becker. He sounds like he's going to cry. "Alex." 

I manage to speak again, only a whisper, but he hears it. 

"Action Man." 

"Don't die, Alex. Please don't die."


	25. Stayin' Alive

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have tried to research the medical stuff in here. Sorry if I got stuff wrong  
Also, little tiny injury descriptions  
And main character death

_Season 3, Episode 10_   
**Alex**

Christine Johnson is dead. I am not.

Helen…Helen stabbed me. Twice. My right side, my left leg. The doctors reckon that she’d done that and then given me a couple kicks for good measure before leaving me to bleed out. But I didn’t. My heart stopped in the ambulance. Stopped again at some point through the night. I’ve been shocked back into existence twice. My oxygen levels are too low, so now tubes have been stuck up my nose to trickle it through my system.

I’m alone in my room. Waiting. For something, anything to happen. The rest of my team have gone back to the race track, to the anomaly Jack had gone through, to go and look for Helen, to stop whatever plan she had.

I’m not quite sure what’s going through my head. I’m not sure if I’m happy I’m still alive or not. I know I’m scared, but I know I can’t panic. If I panic, my heart will go too fast and a nurse will appear in the door and ask if I’m, “Feeling alright, duckie?”

_No, I’m not. I was murdered yesterday. I went into cardiac arrest twice. You kept bringing me back to life._

My team are out there. They’ve gone to the future, to stop Helen. All I can do is sit here, and wait.

***

I want to stay asleep, but light is turning my eyelids red, and there’s something heavy on my hand, so I open my eyes. Becker’s head is on my hand, and I can feel his fingers curled around mine. He lifts his head when my fingers twitch.

“Hi. How-“ I start. I don’t want to finish the question now that I’ve seen his face. He looks like he’s going to cry. I’ve only seen that once before, and that was yesterday. “What happened?” I ask. He doesn’t answer, and his eyes seem to be stuck on the tubes going into my nose. “Becker? Becker, you’re scaring me.” I tell him, and this gets a reaction. Whatever I was prepared for, it wasn’t,

“They’re gone.”

***

It hurts so much to cry. It hurts so much to do anything. I go through phases of sobbing and sitting in deadly silence. I get angry outbursts, and there are marks in the wall across from my bed when I’ve thrown knives and, consequently, often ripped my skin open again. Either Becker or Sarah or Lester are almost always here with me. I don’t sleep unless one of them stays here with me. None of them are here now because today is the first rescue mission to get Abby, Connor and Danny back.

Becker should have been here twenty minutes ago.

I shouldn’t be allowed knives in the hospital, but the dagger Sir William gave me is twirling between my fingers when the door to my room opens and Sarah steps in.

“Sarah! What happened? Where is he?”

“I’m alright, Alex. I’m alright.” she tells me, gently taking the knife from my hand and putting it down on my bedside table before taking a moment to check my heart monitor. She sits on the edge of my bed rather than on the chair next to it, pulling food out of her bag. “I brought you a sandwich. And some chocolate. I’m going to bring in some fruit when I come back later, and-“

“Sarah.” I cut in, my hand reaching for her arm in an attempt to stop her rambling. “Thank you. Are you staying for a while?”

“No. No, I’ll come back later. There…there’s a book I want to bring in for you. Uh, Becker should be along in a minute.” Sarah tells me. Her hand goes up as if to touch my face, and I think she’s going to say something else, but then she stands and leaves. Sarah seems to find it a lot harder to stay with me during the day than at night. I get the feeling it has something to do with the fact that it’s harder to see all the stuff in and around me at night. She will come back later though, it’s her turn to stay with me. She stays with me at night the most.

***

The sky is dark when my door opens again. A nurse is holding it open so Becker can walk through it. Well, hobble through it. He has a crutch and there are bandages wrapped around his arms.

“Oh God. Oh God, Becker.”

“It’s fine, Al. Sprained my ankle, that’s all.” he tells me as the nurse leaves and lets the door close behind her.

“Sprained! That’s all! Becker! You could’ve-“

“What, died? Alex, _you’re_ the one on death’s doorstep!” he snaps. Then, calmer and quieter, “Sorry. Sorry.” he stays standing, leaning on the crutch. My hand goes up, and Becker bends his head so I can just touch the bumpy stitches that are almost-but-not-quite disguised by his hair.

“What happened?” I ask quietly. Becker shifts and moves round the other side of the bed to check the heart monitor and the clip on my finger as he answers, “We didn’t find them, that’s what happened. No sign.” he tells me, checking the needle in the back of my hand, “I fell. Nearly got eaten.”

“You know, the nurses and doctors do that. You don’t have to check everything every time you come in.” I tell him as he moves back around the bed.

“Yes, I do.” is all the reply I get.

“Wait, don’t sit down yet. I need the loo.” I tell him, and I get pulled out of the bed. I still need help to walk properly, even with my own pair of crutches.

When I manage to get out of the bathroom, there’s a nurse setting up the sleep sofa.

“Are you staying?” I ask, confused.

“It’s my shift, isn’t it?”

“No, it’s Sarah’s turn, you stayed yesterday.”

“I said I’d do it tonight.” Becker tells me, and my head tilts.

“Why?”

“You need sleep and I need sleep and we know this works for both of us.” he shrugs, and the nurse looks up at me.

“Back into bed with you, Miss Hart.” she tells me, tucking the last corner of the sleep sofa in and guiding me back down onto my mattress.

“Thank you, Edith.” I say, and she leaves.

“Have you eaten anything today?” Becker asks, sitting on the sleep sofa and picking up the chocolate bar Sarah had left on the duvet, opening it and snapping off a piece while he waits for me to answer.

“Yes.” I tell him, and an eyebrow quirks upwards. “I did! Cereal this morning, and Edith got me a sandwich.” he hands me my own bit of chocolate to stick in my mouth, and we sit in silence to eat.

“You know, we have to stop doing this.” Becker says, completely out of the blue, and I turn my head to frown at him. “Trying to die, I mean,” he explains, “What with you freezing and baiting Johnson and saving the dragon.”

“And you trying to save me from the knight and running off into the future.” I say, understanding. “No sacrifice,” I start.

“No surrender.” Becker replies, saying the other half of the phrase Connor and I used to say before going to every anomaly we had ever encountered. I shuffle upright, my right leg crossed under my left. My fingers find the wide white scar above my right knee. “How did you get that one?” Becker asks.

“A family of raptors in a shopping centre.” I tell him. I remember suddenly that, out of the five of us that had been there, I’m the only one left. I pull my hand away as quickly as if it had been burned.

“What about these ones? You never told me.” Becker says, lightly tapping my shoulder, indicating the swirling lines there. I pull the sleeves of my hoodie over my hands.

“We don’t talk about those ones.” I tell him, and silence falls again, though not as comfortably as the last time. A short while later I reach out and press the button for the nurse. I have two nurses, Edith from breakfast till dinner time and Luis at night. The shift must have just changed, because it’s Luis that walks in. He smiles, like he always does. Neither of us smile back. He goes about his business, checking his watch before taking the tubes out of my nose, flicking switches and pressing buttons that I don’t know the purpose of. He helps pull my duvet out from under my legs so I can shuffle under it. Once he’s gone, Becker pushes down the barriers either side of my bed and I reach for the book that’s sitting on the bedside table and hand it to him.

“You want me to read tonight?” he asks, and I nod. Since the sleeper sofa has been pushed so close to my own bed, I can shuffle closer so I can see the pages properly when Becker flips the book open. “Are you sure, I’m not as good as you-“

“Yes,” I flick the light above our heads on, “I’m sure.” I tell him, my head landing on his shoulder.

“The next morning Bilbo woke up with the early sun in his eyes. He jumped up to look at the time and to go and put his kettle on – and found he was not at home at all.”

***

**Sarah**

They're both asleep when Luis lets me in. They're half on top of each other, a lamp above their heads shining golden light onto them. The blinds are still open and I can see the stars twinkling outside. I move to close them carefully. As I step towards the door, a voice stops me. 

"Sarah?" it's Alex. I turn back to the bed. "Sarah." she says again, a sleepy look on her face. She holds out a hand. The little clip is still on her finger. I take it off and set it down on the bedside table. "Sarah, will you stay?" she asks. 

"Do you want me to?" I ask quietly. Alex nods slowly before yawning and holding out an arm. I half-lie, half-sit on the bed beside her, one leg dangling to the floor. Alex's head lands lightly on my stomach and my hand reaches out, stroking her hair slowly. 

"Don’t leave, Sarah." I hear Alex whisper. 

"Never." I promise.

***

**Alex**

I’m able to go on the third and fourth rescue missions. Becker hadn't wanted me to go but I'd said if he was going, I was going. We look everywhere, and I mean everywhere, on that desolate little lump of rock. We’re practically regulars at the hospital

Sarah insists she come with us on the fourth mission. 

Before we go through the anomaly she stops me and puts a string over my head. A hole has been made in the coin Sir William gave her. She has made it a necklace, and now she’s giving it to me.

"For luck." she says, trying to put a smile on her face. None of the three of us have smiled for quite some time. Every time we go through that anomaly I have more weapons. Every time, I am in more pain than before. Every time, I am so, so scared, more scared each time I go. But I force myself to do it. I have to. For them.

Sarah distracts predators so the rest of our team can get through the anomaly, get home.

I can’t save her.

I have to be dragged away from the car.

The next day, Becker and I hand in our resignations.


	26. Yesterday

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you haven't seen the Webisodes, you probably should before you read this chapter and the next

I want to make cereal. But I’m not allowed to make cereal. My cereal is too high up in the kitchen for me to reach. I tried to reach it anyway, and was pulled away from the cupboards when I started hissing.

“You’ll split the stitches again.” Becker tells me, sitting me down on the sofa. Again.

“What, so I can’t eat?” I ask sharply.

“No, I’ll just do it for you.”

“I can pour the bally milk myself.” I tell him, but he’s already gone back into the kitchen, and I can hear the cereal falling out of the box. “You always make it soggy!” I call, even though he doesn’t. When he brings the bowl out, I’m grumbling, “Can’t make my own food. Not allowed to walk or wheel myself or drive.”

“You can take these.” Becker tells me, sitting on the coffee table and holding out small white tablets.

“Bloody painkillers.”

“Bad day?”

“You can say that again.” I mutter. Going through anomalies and running around in the future has done wonders for my stab wounds and various other injuries, really it has. It’s been so helpful that I’ve been given a ruddy wheelchair to use when it gets too painful to walk. “I’ve been stuck in here for days, Becker, over a week. Least you get to leave.”

“Alright. We’ll go somewhere then. I’ll take you, in the car.” he offers, and I think for a moment.

“There is somewhere I want to go.”

***

When I knock on the door, it takes longer than I expected for it to open. The cold has started to seep through Stephen’s jacket around my shoulders, my fingers going red around the handle of my crutch.

“Hello?” she’s shorter than I expected, grey streaks in her otherwise dark hair.

“Hi. Doctor Miriam Page?” I ask, and she nods. “I’m Alex, this is Becker. We worked with your daughter. Your youngest daughter.”

“Sarah. You know Sarah? Do you know where she is?” Sarah’s mother asks. I hadn’t told Becker exactly who we were going to see, and I’m not quite sure how he’s reacting to it. “She hasn’t been in contact with us. We thought she must have gone to another dig, but she usually tells us…” her mother goes on, but I can't hear her properly anymore. She doesn’t know where Sarah is. No one’s told her. No one’s told her that her daughter is dead.

“Doctor Page…I’m sorry. I am so, so sorry.” I say it quickly, as if I can get away now.

“What are you sorry for?” Mariam Page asks, confused. “Has something happened?”

“Sarah’s dead.” Becker tells her, ripping the metaphorical plaster off in one go. Mariam blinks several times.

“There was a car accident two weeks ago.” I force the words out, repeating the statement given to the police about her death. I want to tell her the truth. I want to tell her that her daughter died a hero, saving ten other people. I want to tell her how brave Sarah was. I want to tell her how hard I fought to save her...But I can’t. I can’t tell her any of that. I can only say what the police have been told.

“A car accident?” Sarah’s mother repeats.

“I am so sorry.” I tell her, and I am, but words are almost worthless.

“Her body. I can see her body?” Mariam asks after a minute or so of trying to process what we’ve told her. My eyes sting.

“Doctor Page…her body couldn’t be recovered.”

“Then how do you know it was her?” she asks, for a moment hope flickering in her eyes.

“We were there.” I tell her, and the hope dies. Again, Mariam takes a minute to react.

“I…you should come in, out of the cold.”

***

It’s raining, but not really. Drearily drizzling in that way that soaks your hair before you notice. My hood is up while Becker and I stand underneath a tree, an old man who had never met Sarah droning on and on and on, no real meaning to any of his words. Her family stand on the other side of the grave. The coffin has been buried, earth piled on top of it. An empty coffin, just like Stephen’s.

I can see Becker’s hand curling into a fist and stretching back out and curling back in on itself. The same movement, over and over again, until my own hand goes out and catches his. One of us shifts slightly so our fingers have slotted in between each other. My thumb moves slowly up and down as family members nod to the droning old man and break away in small groups, going to their cars, to go to Mariam Page’s house. Neither of us try to move, so we stay standing under the tree, holding hands.

It only takes me a couple minutes to realise why he’s so still, why he’s holding on so tight. He’s trying so hard not to cry. His face has crumpled, but he hasn’t let a single tear escape. I turn, hooking an arm around his neck. I’ve let go of his hand so my other arm can move to his back. For a moment, Becker doesn’t react. But then his head falls onto my shoulder, and he hugs me back. We’re rocking slightly, side to side.

I don’t say anything. There’s nothing to be said. He lets himself cry, and I’m just…there.

***

**Becker**

“Alex?” I can’t see her, and it’s usually quicker to just shout rather than go through the flat looking for her. I get an oddly muffled reply, put the shopping down on the floor and go find her. She’s in my room again, cross-legged on the bed. She likes it in there, there isn’t a window in her room. She’s got a pen in her mouth and glasses on, envelopes scattered around her.

“Postman Pat popped round.” she says, scrunching up the paper she has in her hand and picking up another one. She, in the last two weeks, has thrown herself into trying to find a job. Trying. Judging by the crumpled paper, she's been rejected again. She rips the envelope she’s holding open with her teeth. Money falls out of it. She counts out forty pounds and holds it out to me. “The rent from the people in Stephen’s flat. Here’s the last forty quid I owe you.”

“Keep it.” I start, but I get scowled at, so I take it.

“I’m living here, I’m helping you pay. There’s a letter for you.” she tells me, and I take it. I can tell it’s from my sister by the way the address is written. I stick it in my pocket. “And another one from the ARC.”

“Bin it.” I tell her.

“I got one too.”

“We left, Alex.”

“I know we left, that’s why I need a job.”

“No, you need to rest.”

“I am stuck in this flat day in and day out, I only leave to go to Tesco and the hospital. I need to _do_ something, Becker.” before softening again as she picks up the envelope with the ARC logo on it. “They’ve sent us two letters each this week. I think we should read them.”

“Alex, I don’t want to know-“ I start.

“I think we should read them.” Alex repeats. Commander Hart, back in action.

“Yes, ma’am.” I say, moving to sit beside her, one leg dangling from the side of the bed.

“I’m not your boss anymore, you don’t have to call me that.”

“I was never supposed to call you that.” I remind her. “Go on, open it. You’d better read it, Lester’s handwriting’s terrible.” I tell her, and she tears the paper, much more carefully than she had done with the other envelopes. “Typed.” I say when I see the letter itself.

“Second time they’ve sent the same letter to both of us, I doubt anyone wanted to hand-write four copies of the same letter. You know what Lester’s like with dictation.” Alex mumbles, unfolding the letter. I can hear the small noises of her mouth moving as she reads, s sounds hissing out quietly. She reads it quicker than me. “They want to talk. About what happened.”

“We’ve told them everything.” I point out, shifting so my hand lands on Alex’s other side so I can see the bottom of the letter properly. I don't recognise the signature there.

“They’re saying it’s an interview. They were going to talk to all three of us separately, me, you and Lester, but, oh I love how they’ve put this, given my 'poor mental state', they’ve decided me and you can stay together.”

“Who’s they?” I ask.

“Dunno.”

“When do they want to see us?”

“Tomorrow.”

***

**Webisode One**

**Alex**

I don’t know the man sitting across from us, and he clearly doesn’t know us. He doesn’t seem to care that we don’t particularly want to be here. I feel like I’m in an interrogation room. I feel like I've done something wrong.

"The names of the missing people?" he asks. 

"Connor Temple, Abby Maitland, Danny Quinn." Becker tells him. I still can't say their names. 

"Your names?" the man asks. 

"Becker."

"Hart." 

"Do you believe they're still alive?" the man in front of us certainly doesn't. 

"We haven't found any bodies if that's what you mean." Becker tells him. I know that he prefers to think that they are dead. But I'm not sure what I want to believe. I think...I think the absence of bodies is somehow worse than if we had found them. If we had found them, we'd have been able to at least say goodbye. 

"We tried looking for them." I say. "There were four missions, but after the last attempt, when Sarah-" I think it might be the first time I’ve said her name since it happened. I can feel Becker taking my hand, moving our joined hands to rest on his knee under the table. 

"Yeah, I've read the report on Miss Page." The stranger interrupts dismissively. Clearly, he had never known her.

"We didn't go back again after that." Becker tells him. Just thinking about her, saying her name, I can hear her again. See her. It hurts, and my grip on Becker’s hand tightens. “Whatever happened to the others after they went through the anomaly, we don't know." he tells the man, "I think about it every day, but I don't know."

"Do you feel the ARC should be allowed to continue its work?" the man asks. Neither of us answer, so he moves on to his next question, "So will either of you withdraw your resignations?" Becker looks to me, checking, before answering, 

"I don't think so, no."

"We're done with the ARC." I say. I don't particularly care that my voice is cracked. I don't really care that I'm close to tears. I just want to go home. This was a bad idea. I want to go home. But where is home? Home has never been a house for me. It's always been people. And now I don’t have people. I don't have home.

"James Lester feels they're still alive. Abby, Connor, Danny." the man says. He waits for a reaction. Neither of us give him one. "The fact is," he continues, "Miss Hart, Captain Becker, we need James Lester. And he wants you two." we both look up at the man when he says this. "You will be briefed shortly but the headline is this: The ARC will be allowed to carry on its work, in one form or another." Becker’s head twitches sideways.

“I’m sorry, why did that sound like we’ve just been hired?” he asks, not sounding apologetic at all.

“Technically, you never left. James Lester never put your resignations through the system. You’ll be briefed shortly.” the stranger stands and leaves, just before four words hiss out of Becker,

“Son of a bitch.”

***

I sit alone in Becker's spare room. I'd had a dream. It had started out as a dream. I'd been eating ice-cream with Sarah. But then she'd been taken away from me. I could hear her screaming. I could hear Abby screaming. It hurt. It hurt so much.

My door opens. My water bottle is pushed into my hand. The bed dips as Becker sits behind me and then pulls me so I'm next to him. Sometimes, I don't make a sound when I have nightmares. I just lie, silent and twitching. But somehow, he always knows. Always.

"Were you awake too?" I ask, letting myself lean into him. I push up the straw on my water bottle and drink from it while I wait for him to answer.

"Bad dreams. Not nice at all. Figured if I don't sleep, the dreams can't get me." Sleepy Becker can be a wonderful thing. Sleepy Becker right now is already too out of it to form his normal kind of sentences. He's...softer when he's sleepy. I can feel a hand on my hair, moving it off my forehead.

"I've been dodging dreams for years with that tactic." I say.

"I know, Frozen Girl. I know."

This is what happens now. One of us wakes up, and we find the other. We stay with each other. We stay together when we leave the flat, almost always touching somehow. Single fingers linked, hands held, arms around shoulders and waists. Always connected. I’m not sure how or why we fell into this habit. I suppose it's a reassurance thing. To remind each of us that the other is there. Because we are all we have now.

"Why do we have to go back?" I ask.

"We're not going to think about it."

"But we have to go back tomorrow."

"I know. I know. But it'll be okay."

"How?"

"Because you'll be there. And I'll be there. Here." he says, and I feel a wire brushing my hand. My earphones. But I can only find one of them. I stick in my ear anyway. He must have taken the other one for himself. I let myself curl up, my head landing on his chest. It's not as soft as my pillow at all, but it is warmer, rising and falling steadily, lulling me slowly to sleep.


	27. How It Feels To Be Alive

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm going to say this before every chapter that mentions it
> 
> I do not have any form of PTSD. I have tried my best to research it. As I write this story, I am always researching to try and get things right. I understand there are different forms, different symptoms, and different treatments.   
If I write something about PTSD that you think is wrong or offends you in any way, please please please tell me

**Webisode Two**

**Alex**

We walk down the corridor. It's the first time either of us has been in this new ARC. I can’t get the old building out of my head. We've dressed up for it, Becker in uniform and me, well, properly dressed with shoes on. There's a lift. We don't speak. The doors open and we walk into the ops room without hesitation. For a minute, I don’t even see the new ops room. It’s as if, in my head, it’s being painted over to look like the old building.

Connor sitting at the ADD, Abby hanging over his shoulder. Danny, laughing with Sarah. Jenny, asking Nick if he wanted a coffee. Stephen, poring over the report of the last anomaly. 

I shut my eyes and shake my head, trying to dispel the images. This place is nothing like the old ARC. The ceiling is low, the ops room on one floor rather than two. It’s dark in here, so much darker than the old building.

"Captain Becker, Miss Hart. Welcome back to the ARC. Well, to the new ARC" 

I flinch at the sudden noise, Becker grabbing my hand and pulling me closer to him. 

"Sorry." 

I find the source of the noise. A young woman has appeared next to us. Very young. Only a few years out of school, I think. Dressed in a strange yellowy-green colour from her cardigan to her short skirt. She reminds me of the first time I saw Jenny. Completely inappropriately dressed for field work. 

"You have no idea how good it is to finally have some company here." she says.

"We were supposed to report to Parker." Becker says. The woman sticks out her hand. 

"Jess Parker, at your service." Becker shakes her hand carefully, and then I do. We look Jess up and down. She was not what we had been expecting. She’s so much younger than I had expected. I wonder if she really knows what she’s gotten into.

"You're the field co-ordinator?" Becker asks. 

"Sorry." Jess Parker says again. "Not usually this crazy, I promise. Well, not unpleasantly crazy at least. Only I've been on my own here for the last two weeks, just me and the creatures. I've been going through the mission reports." Becker has shifted his gaze away from her, instead glancing around the ARC. Jess has paused, as if waiting for a reaction. 

"Fun." I say flatly. 

"No, they're good, really." Jess tells me. "The best part is that I already feel like I know you guys." Becker's eyes snap back towards her. "And Abby and Connor and Danny." Jess glances at the ground when we look away from her again. She knows she's said something wrong. "Um, if you want to come through, I'll get you two set up." she says, an apologetic tone creeping into her voice. A sympathetic one too. I squeeze Becker's hand once, and then follow Jess.

Every time I turn my head I can see them. Snatches of the old building.

Sarah and Connor crouching over the artefact. Abby carrying a plant in the crook of her arm, Rex floating around her head. I hear running footsteps behind me, Danny's voice calling out to me.

_You don't think you're getting rid of me that easily, do you, Sunshine?_

I turn, looking for him. But of course he isn't there. I hear a laugh and another voice. 

_I don't know, Princess. Reckon we'd be able to leave him in our dust?_ Nick asks.

I hear Jenny laugh and turn again, but she and Nick aren't there. I hear one more voice. 

_We'll outrun the two of them, won't we, Starlight? _

I shut my eyes and jam both earphones in my ears, turning the volume up, trying to block them out. I take one earphone out as Becker hands me a file. I take it and read it as he reads over my shoulder. 

"Matt Anderson." Jess begins to explain, "New team leader, or will be. Lester wants you two to look this over, see if everything's okay. Said he wouldn't go through with it until you felt alright with his choice, Miss Hart" 

“It’s Alex.” I correct her automatically.

"Lester still chooses the staff." Becker says, "Thought the ARC was privately owned now." Jess tilts her head from side to side. 

"Well, 50-50, government, private." she says.

"And Lester still reports to the Minister, not this bloke from Prospero, right? What's his name?" I ask. Jess nods. 

"Philip Burton." she tells me. "He seems to have to keep both of them happy. Pretty impressive CV." Jess adds, nodding at the file as she shifts the conversation back to Matt Anderson. "With all the things he's done you'd think he'd be old and crusty but he's young. Fit too."

"Is he the only candidate?" Becker asks. 

"Got to the bit about Everest?" she asks. 

"The way some people feel the need to..." his voice trails off, not sure how to put it politely. I don't bother with politeness. 

"Boast about things." I finish. I close the file and look up at Jess who has raised eyebrows. 

"Insecure much?" she mutters as she whirls towards the new ADD. 

"Excuse me?" Becker asks, instantly defensive. We walk over to her as she turns to us. 

"It's nothing but if you're going to put the brakes on this guy for being too good, that would be pretty lame." Jess says. I look at Becker. He is annoyed, and so am I. 

"We're not putting the brakes on anyone." he says as Jess sits in the chair that Connor should be in. 

"I mean, he's ex-military, decorated for heroism, he's an expert on animal behaviour and he's got countless glowing references. He's perfect for the job."

"Yeah. So was Oliver Leek." I mutter. I don't think she hears me.

"Anyone would think you didn't want your boss to be better than you are."

"Ah. I see. You're making fun of us." Becker says, just after I realise it myself. Jess giggles as Becker and I plaster fake smiles on our faces. The two of us had always been rather good at fake smiles, and we’ve had a lot of practice over the last few months. Jess believes them. 

"Totally." she says. "Just checking if you guys smile, and you do. Which means, so far, way better company than the mammoth." Becker forces a laugh. I stick the other earphone back in.

***

**Becker**

I hand Alex her tablets, sitting down next to her as Sandi Toksvig spouts another fact on the telly. She hates that I have her medication, but her doctor won’t let her keep them with her. She hates the fact that someone has to supervise her taking them even more.

Abby had told me once that Alex runs away when people die. She’s been doing that recently, disappearing. They’re the only times I speak to Lester, to ask if he’s seen her. He’s had the police out after her twice. But I usually find her, in a graveyard or outside Abby’s flat. Once she’d gone all the way to Danny’s house. Ryan Mason had found her. She goes to Stephen’s block of flats a lot. The cleaning ladies still remember her, let her in. She goes up onto the roof to look at the stars.

She…freaks out sometimes. I don’t know how else to put it. She relives what’s happened, and every week the nightmares get worse. Mrs Foster and Lester together had made her go to a doctor, to talk about what was going on. The doctor had told her she had some kind of PTSD, which I do know something about, and had prescribed stuff I can’t pronounce but that’s supposed to help, and Alex goes to talk to a doctor every so often. The doctor had told Alex that certain things would trigger certain memories and flashbacks, as she calls them.

The doctor doesn’t agree with Alex going back to the ARC. But Lester won’t go back unless both of us go too, and the ARC will never be re-instated without him. Alex is insisting on going back. So I’m going too. We’re going back in the hope that we can stop what happened from ever happening again.

***

**Webisode Three**

**Alex**

Becker and I walk side by side towards where Jess had told us to meet her. As we near her we see she isn't alone. I recognise the man from his file. Matt Anderson. Our new team leader. 

"You must be Matt Anderson." Becker says, reaching out to shake his hand. "Welcome to the ARC." I shake his hand as well. 

"Good to meet you." Matt says. 

"Lester told us you might have a problem." Becker says, diving straight in. Jess looks between the men nervously. I cross my arms. This is Matt Anderson's first test. 

"We don't really have to get into this now but yeah, I think the security team should be in civvies." Matt tells Becker, ignoring me. 

"You're ex-army, right?" Becker checks. 

"I just think the whole black thing is a bit conspicuous." 

"Conspicuous?" I repeat. 

"It promotes unity and gives my men authority in the field." Becker tells him.

"Well I suspect the big guns would have the same effect." Anderson is avoiding Becker's gaze too.

"The uniforms promote public confidence. Especially when weapons are involved.”

“The guns tend to intimidate.” I explain, “Uniforms make the public feel at ease with the weapons. Neither Nick nor Danny ever had a problem with them, and I certainly don't." Anderson finally looks at me. 

"I'm sorry, who are you?" he asks. 

"Alex Hart. You might have heard the name before. You know, seeing as I was team leader for three years. I've been here since day one. I've been here longer than anyone, I know more than you ever will. I'm your right hand, I'm your advisor. You know, you should really know who your team are before trying to fix it, Anderson." 

I can see Jess' eyes widening at my tone, at my defiance. I still wasn’t talking very much when I met her. This might be the most I’ve said in front of her. I suppose I must have surprised her. Matt holds my gaze for a few seconds before looking at Becker again. 

"Well, we can talk about this again, can't we. Why don't you just show me around." Matt says. 

"Of course. Let's start with the armoury, shall we." Becker says.

***

**Matt**

_What about anomaly research, who's picking up where Cutter and Connor Temple left off?_ the voice on the other end of my phone asks.

"I'm not sure yet. I have met James Lester though."

_What did you make of him?_

"Light on civility, heavy on sarcasm. He's hard to read." 

_Keep an eye on him. And the field coordinator?_

"She seems young for the job, but I'm told she's formidable when she's got a team on an anomaly." 

_And the soldier?_

"Becker. He likes guns." 

_What, that's all you picked up about him?_

"He really likes guns. I think it'll take him a while to accept me, he was close to Abby, Danny and Connor. I think he feels responsible for what happened." 

_And he's your second in command, yes?_

"Actually, he's not. Alex Hart. Stephen Hart's niece. Abby, Danny and Connor were like family to her. Professor Cutter and Doctor Page were too, so I'm told."

_Stephen Hart's niece. She has a motive. What did you pick up from her?_

"She talks back, she's stubborn. She's already challenged me. I've read her file. She's intelligent, observant, skilled in combat. Hart knows more about the anomalies and the creatures than anyone else in that building....She believes it's all her fault, everything that's happened. More so than Becker. The two of them are incredibly protective of each other, very...touchy."

_What, like they're together?_

"Their files say they're not." 

_Interesting. Do you think it's her?_ _Alexandra?_

I hesitate before saying, 

"I don't know."

***

**Webisode Four**

**Alex**

I follow Becker as he jogs to Jess and Matt. "Matt!" he calls, stopping them in their tracks. "Is it true you've ordered in non-lethal weapons?" 

"Morning, Becker. Hart." Matt turns to Jess. "So, three extra shelves. I've got a lot of plants." he tells her. 

"The team need real guns, we're not collecting for a petting zoo." Becker spits. "These creatures aren't just interesting, they're also deadly." 

"Yeah. I know." Matt says. 

"So you know what happens when you cut corners. People get hurt, people die." I say. Matt looks at me, finally, as my voice wavers. We can't take any more chances with the creatures, with anything. Matt talks to Becker, ignoring me as always. 

"Why don't you just give the new weapons a chance, you might be pleasantly surprised." he turns to Jess again. "Jess?" he asks, and she nods. 

"Yep. Lots of shelves, lots of plants. Got it." she glances at me and Becker nervously. 

"I'll see you three at the meeting." Matt says as he walks off. I start fiddling nervously with the wire of my earphones, tapping my fingers to help me count, to calm my breaths. 

"He's got no idea." Becker says to Jess. 

"I don't know, I think he's alright." she tells us, trying to be reassuring. 

"Jess, you have no idea. You have no idea of what happens. We tried tranquilisers before. We tried, Jess." I say, and her expression shifts from assurance to uneasiness.

"We don't trust him." Becker says. "And you'll see the rest of the team don't either."

***

Becker and I stand at the edge of the group gathered in the ops room. 

"Okay guys, for those of you I've not met properly I'm Matt Anderson, I'm your new team leader. For the last couple of days your esteemed colleagues Captain Becker and Alex Hart," I'm surprised he remembers my name, considering how much he likes to pretend I don't exist. He continues, "Have been bending my ear on every detail of this operation to ensure that you lot are properly looked after." 

I can see Lester standing up and moving to the window of his office to watch us. Matt carries on talking, looking at everyone but me. 

"So I would like to assure you that safety, the safety of this entire team, even the safety of Captain Becker and Miss Hart, is my number one priority. Your jobs are demanding. Your jobs are dangerous." Lester is exiting his office now. 

"You put your lives on the line to protect the public every time that alarm goes off. There's no room for errors, there's no time for on the job training. So with all of that in mind, some new policy changes are being implemented. All new field operatives will be strictly military, or from a military background. Safety will come first. There will be no more civilian recruiting. Now if anyone wants to talk about this my door is always open." Matt pauses for a moment before continuing,

"Over the last few months a lot of you have testified to the last mission of the old ARC." Matt looks directly at me. I begin to worry about his next words before he even says them. 

"Well yesterday that investigation was officially wrapped up." 

I tense up completely. I know what that means. They've given up on them. 

"Abby Maitland, Connor Temple and Danny Quinn have been pronounced missing, presumed dead." 

They've given up. They've let them go. Matt moves his eyes away from mine as I stare at the wall behind him. 

"I would like to make it clear today that this means absolutely nothing. Over the years this organisation has lost many brilliant people. Including Nick Cutter, Stephen Hart, most recently, Sarah Page." every name is a stab to my heart and Matt knows it. I don't realise that I'm not breathing until I feel Becker' finger tapping against the back of my hand. An exercise he's been taught to do by my doctor. I breathe in for five taps, out for five taps. And then my breath catches again. Lester didn't tell me. He didn't tell me. He gave up on them and he didn't tell me. 

"As far as I'm concerned." Matt continues, "This does not include Abby Maitland, Connor Temple and Danny Quinn. These people could still be out there, fighting to stay alive, fighting to make it home." he doesn't mean it, I can tell. He doesn't believe they're alive at all. But I do. _I do. _Matt carries on talking,

"I didn't have the chance to work with them all, as you did, but I hope that someday I will. So today as your new team leader I am rejecting the governments findings." Jess nudges my side. 

"See, I told you." she whispers as Matt talks over her,

"We're not giving up on these guys." Matt looks directly at me again. "Not yet." Everyone around us starts clapping. Matt's last words were meant to be reassuring. They aren't

**Webisode Five**

**Alex**

Jess hands me what she calls a black box. 

"Bit big for a tracker, isn't it?" Matt asks as I slip it into my pocket. 

"They also collect data from the anomalies and are part of the new comms system. With these in I can monitor and record everything while out in the field." Jess explains as I take out an earphone and replace it with the earpiece she's given me. 

"Is that necessary?" Matt asks. 

"Yeah, of course." I say as Becker reaches across me for an earpiece. 

"Anyone gets into trouble, everyone will know about it immediately." Becker adds, putting his own earpiece in. 

"Are these only on during an alert?" Matt asks. 

"Philip and Lester want them on at all times, just in case." Jess tells him. I glance at the ground. I'm part of the reason Lester wants them on all the time.

"Hart, shouldn't you take your earphones out." Matt says. It isn't a question. 

"I'll keep them in, thanks." I reply.

"Hart-"

"I have them for medical reasons." I say. Well, not officially. But they're the only things that keep the voices out. Matt opens his mouth to speak again, but closes it a moment later. 

"The range on them is amazing but, unfortunately, they will stop feeding back if you go through an anomaly." Jess says. I feel Becker go tense. Oh no. 

"Well, how is that even an issue?" Becker asks. "Policy's strict, no one goes through, not for any reason." he continues. That rule had been one of our conditions of returning to the ARC. 

"No, I-" Jess starts. 

"Look, everyone has been briefed, everyone knows the rules." Becker interrupts. "I'm going to hand these out." he takes the earpieces and turns. Jess looks to me, eyes wide. 

"I wasn't suggesting anyone should go through." she tells me. 

"I know, Jess. He just needs to punch something and then he'll be fine. I'll talk to him." I say. Matt's watching me carefully. "Is there something you'd like to say, Anderson?" I ask, my voice turning frosty. 

"No, no. Nothing." Matt says before he turning and walking off. Jess watches him go before looking to me again. 

"Can I ask you something?" Jess asks. 

"You just did." I say. She smiles a little. "But go ahead." I add.

"What happened? With Helen and everything?" she asks. I freeze. "What was she going to do?" Jess continues. She hasn't noticed the change in me. 

"Actually, Jess, I'm really sorry, but I have to go check something. I need to make sure I can find my office." I lie. Jess moves to stand. 

"Oh, I can show you-"

"No. No, no, I'll find my own way."

***

A few days later, I walk towards the ADD. The new ADD. I can just picture Connor's face if he ever sees it. He'll love it, and the wheelie chair that comes with it. My chest feels tight as I think about it, and I force myself to stop, to breathe slowly. Jess appears suddenly. 

"Hi." she says as she sits in the chair. "Alright?" she asks. 

"Yeah." I tell her, turning the volume of my music down a little. Jess looks at me. 

"I'm sorry about the other day. I didn't know-" 

"Jess, Jess, forget about it. It's fine. Do you understand now, did Becker explain?" I ask. Jess nods. 

"Those are...a bit destroyed, aren't they?" she said, nodding at my jeans. She's changing the subject. For my sake, I realise. "Where did you get them?" 

"Kyle's." I tell her. It's a local shop that's been around forever. 

"Didn't think they did the whole distressed thing." Jess says. 

"They don't." I tell her. "They were distressed for me. By raptors." Jess's face goes a little paler. 

"Oh." 

I decide to change the subject. 

"So, exactly how much of our files can you access?" I ask. 

"Pretty much everything. But it's not like I snoop." she adds. "I don't look at the personal stuff, just the important things." I nod and she carries on, "Like you're allergic to insect bites. I am too. And Becker's allergic to strawberries. Phillip can't have dairy, but don't tell him I told you that." she said.

Becker isn't allergic to strawberries. I'd written that as a kind of tripwire in the part of his files no one but Lester and the Minister had clearance to access.

"Well, actually, the allergy stuff was just what Matt told me after checking it himself, now I come to think about it." Jess adds. And now I'm on high alert again. I check my watch. 

"Sorry, Jess, but I have to go." I say, and then I turn, brain whirring. There's something not quite right about Matt Anderson. And I intend to find out what.


	28. Coming Home

_Season Four, Episode One_ _   
_ **Jess**

The door opens and Alex and Becker come in. 

"You're late." Matt calls as he throws them each an EMD. 

"So shoot me." Alex says, voice dripping with sarcasm, "Oh no, you can't. You don't have a real gun." 

"Oh, excellent." Becker says, equally sarcastic. "Tasers." 

"These are in a different league to any tasers you've ever used in the past." Matt tells them. I turn and lean against the table. "I wouldn't have designed it if it didn't work." Matt adds. 

"You need to remember how many friends we've lost." Becker tells him. 

"We will not lose any more." Alex says. 

"We're not going to risk any more lives playing around with peashooters." Becker says.

"The EMD can be adapted to three basic levels, low, medium and high-voltage, depending on what you're using it for." I say. 

"Yes, we know what they do, Jess." Becker interrupts. I look to Matt. 

"I don't think they believe us." 

"This is like nothing you've ever experienced before." Matt tells them. Alex throws her EMD to him. 

"Try me." She backs away from him and then stops, facing him. Becker hasn't said a word. 

"Go on." Alex says when she sees Matt's face. "Shock me. If he," she nods at Becker, "thinks it works, he'll use it and so will I. If not, you back off and let us do things our way." she shrugs casually, completely calm.

"You really, really don't want me to do that, Hart." Matt says. I glance at Becker. He and Alex are wearing identical smirks. It's the closest I've ever seen them to smiling. 

"Oh I do." Alex replies. "Come on, Anderson. Show me what you've got." Alex says. Matt doesn't say anything. He readies the EMD. I straighten up and turn to him. 

"Matt? You can't" I say. The EMD begins to whir. "Will you two stop being such a pair of kids?"

"He started it." Becker points out. 

"No I didn't." Matt replies. He straightens his arm and aims at Alex. "It's okay." he tells me. "She'll live. Probably." there's a pause. 

"For Pete's sake, Anderson, have you fired the damn thing ye-" Alex is cut off by a sudden, sharp whoosh and is sent flying backwards. She lies there, coughing as Becker and I crouch next to her. I shoot Matt a look. He turns and puts the EMD down. "Jesus." Alex wheezes as Becker hauls her to her feet. 

"That was the lowest setting." Matt says. "The highest is designed to bring down a Tyrannosaurus Rex."

***

**Becker**

Alex is still coughing as we walk with Matt down the corridor. She stops and puts my hands on my legs, gasping for breath. 

"Alright?" I ask. 

"Yeah, yeah. Fine." she tells me before groaning as she straightens up again. "I've had worse." I can see Matt trying not to smile. 

"Are you absolutely sold on these EMDs, Hart? Cause, you know, I could always shoot you again." he offers. 

"Prick." Alex mutters, pressing the heels of her hands to her eyes. 

"Look, how long till it wears off?" I ask Matt. 

"Burning, a couple of hours. Headaches, couple of days. " he answers as Alex puts her hands on her knees. "The humiliation, well. That kind of depends when I get bored of it really." Matt finishes. She looks up at him. 

"You're really not funny, Anderson." she tells him, straightening up. She manages to take a few steps before she needs to stop again. She waves my hands away when I try to help. "Fine. I'm fine." Matt turns to us. 

"Look, guys. I know you've lost friends, but I need you to understand that I won't do anything to risk the team." he tells us. "You especially, Hart. I need you to know that I won't do anything to put you in danger."

"I don't throw trust around that easily, Anderson. You know, after Sarah died, we tried to leave. Danny, Connor, Abby. It was too much" I think it's the first time I've heard her say their names in months.

"The one thing we can do here is make sure it never happens again. That's why we came back." I say. Alex moves to walk away, only getting a few steps away before Matt speaks again,

"It wasn't your fault. Or yours, Becker, you know that."

"It was my job to look after them. I failed." I say. Alex's head turns.

"It wasn't your fault, Action Man. It was mine."

I watch her go. I know by now that there is nothing I can say to convince her that what happened, that everything that has happened, isn't her fault. 

"She blames herself for everything, you know." I mutter. "God knows why." I add before Matt can ask. I turn. "You trust me, right?" I ask. 

"Yeah, with my life." Matt replies instantly. 

"I need you to keep her safe."

"What do you mean?" 

"Because Alex accepted death a long time ago. And I'm worried that one day, I won't be there to protect her from herself. So I need you to help me keep her safe." 

Matt's eyes shift away from mine for a second, looking down the corridor where Alex had gone before he looks at me again. 

"Of course I will."

***

**Jess**

I'm walking towards Alex's office when I hear her voice floating out from within it. She's not speaking English, talking to herself in Italian. My own Italian isn't as good as it was, so I'm not understanding everything she's saying. It's almost as if she's talking to other people in the room, but she's alone. I don't quite realise I'm hovering in the doorway until she speaks directly to me, asking me to come in.

"Will you help me with these?" she asks. She's holding up photographs. Some are already stuck in the large corkboard on the wall with an assortment of pins. "I'm trying to make it a bit more...mine."

"Um, yes. Yes, I can help." I tell her, stepping into her office properly. She's been here for a few months already, but it doesn't quite feel like it. It's still too orderly. I'm glad she's putting up photos and putting her own things in the room. She gives me three photos and turns back to the board with the two she has in her own hand. As she turns, I see the wire of her earphones again. There's a tub of pins on her desk, so I go to it. Next to the tub are more pictures, and my eyes catch on the top one.

It's a little blurry, inexpertly taken. A hospital bed, and another bed pushed up against it. I recognise Alex and Becker. The other woman I know from the files is Sarah Page. All three of them are asleep, the hospital blanket covering most of Becker's bottom half. I can see the bandages on Alex's leg, her head on Sarah Page's arm. The photograph disappears. Alex has picked it up and taken it over to the board.

"Was that..." I start.

"After Helen stabbed me. After they all went missing." she tells me, pinning it next to a picture of Sarah Page. "You can put them anywhere you like." Alex adds, and I remember the photographs I'm already holding. I move to start pinning them up. The last photograph in my pile is of an almost familiar man. I say almost, because I think I've seen him before, but there's something a little...off. His clothes are familiar too. "That's my dad." Alex says softly.

"He looks like Stephen." I say.

"I know. But...Dad was taller. Brown eyes...and freckles." she says, pointing these things out to me before gently taking the photo and pinning it to the centre of the board. I turn my head to look at Alex, and then back at the photo, making the connection with the clothes. Her father is wearing a black Queen shirt. So is she. Hers is also black, but faded, a small rip that's been sewn in the shoulder. "It was his." Alex says, not looking away from the photo. "Stephen gave it to me when I was nine or ten. It was my nightdress until I grew into it." her voice is still soft and calm.

And then the anomaly alarm goes off.

***

**Alex**

When Becker and I reach the anomaly we can see two people lying face down in front of it while one of the soldiers locks the anomaly. I can only see their backs, and their hair has grown much longer, but I know who they are. I know exactly who they are. And I know that I was right to believe for so long. Becker and I crouch in front of them, holding out our hands. 

"I hope you brought us back a souvenir." Becker says.

"A snow-globe, perhaps." I add. 

"I was thinking more a fridge magnet or two."

"Yeah, your fridge is a bit bare."

Abby Maitland and Connor Temple lift their heads and grab our hands. We all stand up together and stare at each other for a moment before we all wrap our arms around each other. I never ever want to let go. When we do eventually part, Becker and I speak together, 

"Where the hell have you been?" 

The four of us are in a circle, all still holding on to each other. 

"You know, we were in there." Connor says, "We would have called but the reception was terrible." 

"We've been looking for you." Becker tells them. "We sent four missions."

"We tried everything." I say, vision blurring. Abby reaches up and hugs me again. 

"It doesn't matter now." she tells me. "We're back. And everything is going to be just fine." she turns away from me and looks to Connor. 

"We did it." he whispers. She launches herself at him, flinging her arms around me as Becker takes my hand and squeezes it tight. Matt's car comes into view and we all walk towards it. 

"So where's Danny?" I ask. Connor and Abby stop and look at me. 

"Is he not with you?" Connor asks. I go cold and hold Becker's hand even tighter. 

"No," he tells them. "He never made it back." Matt walks up to us and Becker's face changes, going into business mode. "Matt, Alex and I would like you to meet two of our good friends." Matt shakes Abby and Connor's hands in turn, saying their names. 

"It's great to meet you. I'm Matt Anderson. I'll have someone escort you back to the ARC." Matt says something else and Becker replies but I don't hear any of it. I can see Connor and Abby mouthing questions to each other but I don't take any notice. Where's Danny?_ When_ is Danny? We have no way of knowing. A terrible thought strikes me. What if he'd gotten back to the future, but not back to our time? We'd never found any bodies there but...

An apology spills out of my mouth as my feet move, taking me away. I lean against a building and cover my eyes. I can feel myself teetering on the edge of a pit. I hear footsteps and hold out a hand. "Just...just give me a minute. I just need a minute." I force out, and the footsteps retreat. I slide down to the ground and put my head on my knees. My eyes burn. I want to cry. I can't understand what I'm feeling. I'm happy and I'm scared and I'm sad. I lift my head as I start to get dizzy. I force myself to open my eyes and I hold my hands out in front of me. I tap each finger, counting up to five and back down. Breathing in for five, out for five. With each tap, I can feel myself stepping away from the pit. 

Until I hear a roar and lift my head to see what looks like a Spinosaurus run out of sight. I reach the car before Becker and Matt do and slide into the back seat. As he starts the car, Becker glances at me in the mirror. 

"Okay?" he asks. 

"Talk later." I say. 

***

The car screeches to a stop in the middle of the road. The bin lorry that Matt is in is blocking off the other end of the road. Between us is the Spinosaurus.

“Alright, Matt, here we are.” Becker says, “What now?”

_Your guess is as good as mine. _Matt replies. The Spinosaurus decides for us, turning away from the car and going for the bigger target. The bin lorry.

“Matt!”

Glass shatters, and I hear a car horn blaring. I can see the car, one of ours. I can see the number plate. Someone is pulling the Spinosaurus away from Matt, starting to reverse as it chases after them, and I have a very good idea who. Becker moves the car closer to the bin lorry, getting out to check Matt’s alright as I crawl into the front seat.

“We need to get it to the arena now.” Becker says to Matt as Matt looks through the window at me. “Let her drive.” Becker tells him. Matt gives him a look before going for the back seat while Becker swings himself back into the car.

“Jess, raise comms in Victor Sierra Alpha Seven, Abby and Connor have nicked one of our cars.” I say before glancing up in the mirror at Matt. “Buckle up boys. It’s going to be a bumpy ride.”

***

When we do get to the arena, I’m last out of the car, leaving Nick’s jacket behind. I’d only been wearing it to hide the belt anyway. I pull a single knife from it as Becker and soldiers start unloading and assembling EMDs.

“What the hell-“ Matt starts, before stopping and starting again, “I thought I made my views on your knives very clear-“

“And I thought I made it very clear that I think you’re wrong.” I say, “I’ll only use them if I have to, okay?” I promise, stepping back to stand next to Matt as Becker stands up with the EMD in his hand.

“Wait for my word. Okay, stand by, all units in position.” Matt says the first part to Becker, the last to the soldiers at large.

“Fire on my command.” Becker orders, countering Matt’s order, “Alex, hold your fire.”

“Aye aye, captain.” I say, not looking away from the creature as soldiers edge a wide circle around it. And then Connor runs out into the middle of the arena to stand in front of the dinosaur.

“What the hell is he playing at?” Matt asks.

“Hold your fire, hold your fire.” Becker says, speaking through his earpiece to the soldiers standing around the arena.

“Does he do this kind of thing often?” Matt asks.

“Yeah, every now and again.” Becker tells him.

“And how does it normally turn out?” Matt asks. Becker and I respond the same, holding up a hand and wobbling it from side to side. I flip my knife in my hand to hold it properly. “We can’t risk firing with Connor in the way.” Matt says, jumping towards the car a shoving a bag onto his shoulder. Before he leaves, taking a soldier with him, he points a finger at me. “Hart, under no circumstances do you throw that knife.”

The Spinosaurus turns from us to face Connor instead.

“Alex…“ Becker starts.

“On it.” I tell him, moving forward. A step to the left as I pull my arm back. The knife sinks into the part of its underbelly that is the connection to its leg. Side-stepping quickly, I let another knife fly once I know I can land it in its shoulder. The Spinosaurus turns its head to roar at me, my hair flying backwards. But then Connor yells me name, makes a loud noise of frustration, and the creature turns back to him.

Music starts blaring, lights flashing. Some small part of my mind recognises it as S Club 7. I can see Abby up at the control board, and a smile splits my face. It must have been her. Becker’s taking the opportunity to lead his soldiers round in the wide circle they’d tried going into before. I take the chance to launch myself, sliding on the floor towards the knife that has fallen out of the creature’s leg. Connor is moving closer and closer to the Spinosaurus as I scramble back up onto my feet.

“Connor, get clear!” Becker yells, his voice hardly audible over the deafening music.

“Connor, now is a bad time to be stupidly heroic!” I shout, just as Matt descends from the ceiling via rope. _For fuck’s sake, _Stephen sighs somewhere in the back of my head.

***

We walk into the ops room together, the five of us.

"Wow. This is pretty sexy stuff." Connor remarks. 

"Don't tell me." Lester's voice comes from behind us. "You missed the last bus home and had to walk." I don't hear what else is said, but Abby hugs Lester. When Connor tries to do the same, Lester backs away from him. Abby and Connor follow him down the steps, me, Becker and Matt behind them. I take an earphone out as Connor catches sight of the ADD. His face is exactly how I pictured it would be upon seeing it. I knot my fingers together, counting in my head. He walks up to it, stops behind Jess' chair. 

"Now that is one serious upgrade." he says. Jess turns and stands. 

"Hello. I'm Jess. So good to finally meet you guys. Becker and Alex have told me everything." Becker and I both roll our eyes as she says it. "You guys are like legends around here." she adds.

"Cheers, mates." Connor says without turning. 

"Whatever, I thought you were dead." Becker tells them, tactfully leaving me out of this statement.

"Where's Sarah?" Abby asks. Neither of us can form the words. We are somewhat saved by Phillip’s arrival

“Abby, Connor. I can’t tell you what a relief it is to see you two. Forgive me-“ he holds out a hand, ready to introduce himself.

“Phillip Burton. I know.” Connor interrupts, taking his hand, “This is the man who invented the room-temperature superconductor.” Connor explains to Abby, who clearly does not know what this means.

“Um. Wow.” she tries.

“Wow? Yeah, he’s like a living legend,” Connor goes on as Phillip smiles, “If all the Fantastic Four were rolled into one, he’d kind of look a bit like this. But not a superhero, obviously. He’s more of a science nerd.”

“Thank you for the compliment. I think.” Phillip says.

“Yeah. It was meant as a-“

“Connor.” I cut in before he can start rambling again.

“I’m just over-excited. Why are you here?” Connor asks, and the small smile that had started to grow over Connor’s child-like excitement dies.

“After the catastrophe of your last trip, the government decided the ARC would benefit from private sector management.” Lester tells them.

“Catastrophe?” Abby repeats.

“It was a bad time for all of us.”

***

The second Connor and Abby leave Lester's office, I dive in. I’m angry and I’m going to give them a piece of my mind.

"Alex." Lester warns. I see Philip edging towards the door. 

"You stay here, Philip. I need to talk to you too." I say coldly. 

"You don't give me orders, Alexandra." he says. I see Lester give him a look and Philip sighs, but shuts the door. "Sit." I tell him, pointing at a chair. He does it. "Let them back on the team." I say simply. 

"We can't, Alexandra. They're not military." Philip says it as if I'm an idiot who needs everything explained at least four times. 

"Neither am I." I say, crossing my arms.

“Alex, you never officially left the ARC-“ Lester starts.

“And that’s your fault, Lester. I had every intention of leaving. So why let me stay?”

“Because you’re valuable. You have knowledge, experience, skills we need.” Phillip says.

“Connor knows more about the anomalies than I do. Might I remind you that he _invented _the detector, the locking device? This whole building runs on his technology. Abby Maitland knows more about animal behaviour than I ever will. They have lived in the Cretaceous for a year, how much more experience do you want?” my hand flies up as I ask the question.

“Alexandra Louise Hart-“

“Don’t. Don’t even try it. They deserve to be here. We owe them that. They have been trapped, hunted for a year, and their first thought is to keep on going, keep on protecting the people. Who are you to stop them? What-“

“Alex.” Lester starts. He’s standing beside me, a tissue in his hand. He’s taking my hand, wrapping the tissue around it. There is something red on the floor.

_Alex, calm down. _Jess says through my earpiece. Sharp pain goes through my palm at that moment.

“I think I should take your belt, Alexandra.” Phillip says lightly.

“What, why?” I ask.

“You’ve cut yourself, Alex.” Lester says gently, undoing the belt, taking it from me and putting it on his desk. Phillip picks it up.

“I should have taken it when we took out the non-lethals.” Phillip mutters. I’m frowning, confused as I hold onto the tissue around my hand. I have cut myself. I can see Phillip going for the door, taking my knife belt with him.

“Wait. Wait, no, that’s mine-“ I start.

“I think you should go home.” Lester tells me quietly, a hand on my back as Phillip disappears down the corridor. My feet are moving, but my mind feels…stuck. Like a buffering video. I don’t know where I’m going until I push open the door to the menagerie. Abby’s in there, looking out the window. I must say her name, because she turns to me and lets me hug her tight when I reach for her. She hugs me straight back.

I had almost forgotten how Abby hugs. She hugs so rarely, not big on people touching her. But when she hugs, she really hugs, as if she’ll never let you go. I can feel her hair brushing my hand, grown out longer than I’ve ever seen it. The salt of tears drops into my mouth. I don’t say anything, and neither does Abby. Words aren’t needed.

_I missed you_


	29. Welcome To The Jungle

_Season 4 Episode 2_

**Alex**

I'm not fully concentrating as I walk through the maze of corridors. I know my way around pretty well by now. I've forgotten my earphones, but my head is relatively quiet. I can hear Phillip hissing something, and I stop dead.

"You need to be careful with Connor. And Alexandra. They're impulsive, dangerous." Lester doesn't let him get any further. 

" I think I know them just a little bit better than you do, Philip." he says. 

"Yes, of course, James, but with what's happened-" Philip starts. 

"Yes, yes, I know. Connor's having some time off, a chance to recover." 

"I wasn't talking about Connor." Philip says, a slight warning in his voice, "Given Alexandra's fragile mind-"

"Alex is fine. We're talking about helping Abby and Connor."

"I'm aware of that James, but neither of _them_ are in the field." Phillip says pointedly. I do the first thing I think of. I push forward and walk between them.

"Good morning, Lester. Phillip."

***

My phone rings and I put it to my ear. 

"Alexandra Louise Hart, annoyance extraordinaire, how may I be of service?"

_Andy, hi_

"Sergeant Nerd. Are you still at Jess' or have you found something?" 

_Kind of. Uh, I need you to see something. _

"Did you find a flat already?" I ask, surprised. I was going to tell Abby and Connor that they could stay at the house, but Jess had beat me to it. Connor was meant to be at her flat, looking for a flat for him and Abby. 

_No. _Connor says, _Have any anomalies been detected today? _

"Connor. Where are you and can I tell Abby?" 

_The docks. The old warehouse by the power station on Fortune Road. Oh, Andy? Duncan's here. _I go to a laptop, lifting my shoulder to keep my phone pressed to my ear. I find the location and send it to one of the cars navigation systems. 

"I've got it. I'm on my way." in my rush, I forget to log off. I turn to the ADD. "Jess? I'm just going to pop out. I've got my comms and my black box." I call. 

"Alright. Bring me back some chocolate, would you? Nothing with orange in it though, that's just weird." she calls back. 

"Yeah, of course." I reply, smiling. A hand ghosts my back before landing on my shoulder. 

"If we're taking orders, can I get some crisps?" Becker asks.

"No."

"Unfair."

"I can get you prawn crackers though."

"Brilliant." he says, "Where are you going?"

"Connor bumped into an old friend of ours down the docks and he's asked if I'd like to meet up." I tell him, which is true. There's obviously something up, but I'd rather see it myself before calling it in.

***

I find them easily enough. I lift my hand to give Duncan a high five, but he doesn't move. 

"Are you like his girlfriend now?" he asks. I laugh. 

"No. No, of course not. That's Abby." I tell him. 

"The other hot blonde?" Duncan asks, looking at Connor, who nods. 

"Hot blonde?" I repeat, eyebrows raised, but Duncan has turned around, moving off. 

"There's hope for us all." he says. I follow Connor, who is following Duncan. 

"That's weird." Connor says, frowning. "It's gone. The body's gone." _ah shite._

"Body?" I ask.

"The creature must have come back for it." 

"Woah, what made you think it was a creature kill?"

"Uh, lateral incisions, his throat had been torn out, there was a big chunk gnawed out of his side, and I think it was his left leg pretty much hanging by a thread." Connor lists as Duncan looks more and more like he's going to be sick. 

"Not natural causes then." I say, carefully counting in my head. 

"Not so much, no." he tells me. I crouch down closer to the ground.

"Right then. Let's see if I can find out where it went."

***

**Jess**

"Matt's acting strange." I say.

"Really. In what way?" Becker says flatly without looking up.

"I've worked with him for over eight months now, and I've read his file backwards, but I still don't feel like I know him."

"You read his file?" Becker asks, looking at me now.

"Yeah, I read everyone's file, that's my job." I remind him. "Not that I've read your file." I add hurriedly. "Not the...personal bits, anyway. Nothing about wives or girlfriends or boyfriends." I say. I had been a little confused when I'd read his file first and not found anything in the_ Relationship_ section.

"That's because I got Alex to delete it all in case anyone went snooping." Becker tells me. That explains why I've never found any girlfriends or boyfriends in Alex's file either.

"I wasn't snooping, I was doing my job!" I tell him, but he looks rather unconvinced. "Anyway, about Matt-"

"Leave it, Jessica. He knows what he's doing." Becker says. And then he gets up and leaves, just like that.

***

"Matt's heading for the docks." I tell Becker. 

"So what?" he asks. 

"Well, why is he doing that?" I ask. 

"I don't know, Jess. Perhaps he's buying a boat." then, a moment later, "Where's Alex?" I turn and look at him. 

"Spying on your girl's a bit low, Becker." I say, and he sighs. 

"She's not my- look, just tell me where she is. She said she was going to the docks to meet Connor and I want to know if she's still there." 

"Alright." I say as I turn back around, eyebrows raised. I click a few keys, and then I frown. I press a button. "I can't find her." I say. 

"What do you mean, you can't find her?" Becker asks. 

"Well, her last location was here. After that her black box went offline. She's not answering her comms. I'll call her." Alex's phone number appears on the screen. It rings and rings, on and on. 

"Shit." Becker mutters before, "Find her."

***

"Matt, please respond. Alex, please respond." I say. I don't get anything back. I turn my head to look at Becker. "He's definitely up to something. Alex was on that computer earlier looking at maps of the dock. Then Matt used the terminal and left straight after her. And check this out. He's at the docks and his phone's turned off. Look at that erratic pattern of movement." he looks down at the tablet in his hand, a map on it. 

"Nothing's showing. No anomalies." he tells me. I breathe in sharply. "What?" Becker asks. I just nod at the screen. There are two blinking red dots now. 

"That's Alex, that's her black box, it's back online. She's with Matt. Becker, they're chasing something." I say. I can hear Becker moving around behind me as I stare at the blinking lights. 

"Or being chased. I'm going to get a team together. Keep trying to get them."

**Alex**

Matt holds out an earpiece. 

"I've got mine." I tell him, pressing it. 

"Jess, we've got an incursion but no weapons." Matt says.

_Matt, what's going on?_ Jess' voice comes through my earpiece. 

"We need Action Man here now." I tell her.

_He's already on his way. So's Abby._ I turn to check on Duncan. 

"Alright, Dunc?" I ask. He nods silently. He still looks like he's about to throw up.

_It's here, in the water_ Connor's voice comes through my earpiece. 

"Can we track it by road?" Matt asks.

_No. It's heading out into the harbour._ there's a pause._I'm on it._ I look at Matt, both of us frowning. 

"On it? What does he mean, on it?" Matt asks. There's a long pause before Connor says anything else.

_I__ have it._

"Connor, turn back." Matt orders.

_What, and lose it again?_

"Con, what's happening?" I ask.

_T_ _he cargo ship, it's heading for the container port._

We find the place and pile out.

"Duncan, I think you should stay here." I say. Duncan nods. 

"Yeah, don't worry, I'm not going anywhere." he tells me. I nod and run after Matt. As we walk, I speak. 

"Action Man, ETA?" 

_Minutes away, Frozen Girl. _

"Yeah, well, get here faster."

_I'm not you, Alex, I don't break the speed limit._ Becker says, and I snort.

"And that's a lie."

_You okay?_ I run to the left while Matt goes right. 

"Yeah, fine."

_I thought you were just going to visit a friend._

"So did I." I sigh. Connor's voice comes through my earpiece,

_Guys, I see it. It's on the forward deck._ I run. But then stop out of confusion when I get there. There's nothing here. Matt comes round the other side. 

"Connor, are you sure?" he asks. 

"It can't have gone overboard, Anderson, we would have heard it." I tell him.

"Yeah, I know, Hart."

_Alex, you should check the hold. Matt, you go round this deck._ Connor's voice says.

"I thought you were supposed to be fired?" I hear Matt ask as I run in the other direction.

_I'm working out my notice._

I find a man welding something on the floor, sparks flying everywhere. 

"Hey!" I shout. He doesn't hear me, so I go closer. "Hey!" the man stands, and lifts his mask. Then he screams and runs away. "Oh come on, that's just rude." I say, just before I hear a growl. 

The Kaprosuchus is behind me. _No. No, no._

I don't have any weapons. I would have had a knife with me, but Phillip took them. I have nothing. My back hits the wall as the Kaprosuchus creeps ever closer. I highly doubt that punching it is going to do much. It's about an arm's length away when I hear a whizz, and it falls to the floor. I slide down the wall, gasping in a breath. 

"Sorry I'm late. Caught every red light." Becker tells me, smiling a little.

"We really need to invest in some sirens for the cars." I say.

***

I stand with Abby, now with an EMD in my hand, as the container with the Kaprosuchus moves above our heads. There's a loud creaking noise.

_It's woken up. I think it's got a bit of a headache. _Becker says through the comms. 

"We'll tranq him again as soon as we get him on the truck." Abby says. I

"How did you know where we were?" Connor asks Matt. I turn to Matt as well. "And you turned up at the warehouse. How did you-" I cut Connor off, realisation hitting me, 

"He followed me." I say, before turning to Matt, "You prick you followed m-" 

"Why did you not call it in as soon as you knew?" Matt asks Connor. 

"I don't even work for the ARC, remember? I'm just a concerned citizen." Connor says. There are more creaks and groans from the container and all four of us look up. The container is swaying from side to side, the Kaprosuchus moving around inside.

_Matt, it's coming loose. The container is breaking free._ Becker says at the same time as I realise it. The container falls. 

We edge around it to the opening, soldiers with us. I peek around the corner. The Kaprosuchus is gone. I hear a scream. Duncan. He must have gone into the maze of cargo boxes. And now the creature's in there too. Connor moves to run, but Matt grabs his arm. 

"I am not letting another friend die." Connor snaps, jerking away from Matt and running off. Abby and I both move to go after him. Matt grabs Abby and I feel someone take hold of my arms.

"Let me go. I need to go after him, I need to help him." I order. 

_Can't let you do that, Al._

"God damn it, Becker." I can't quite tell who's got hold of me, but I know Becker's told them to stop me. "Please. Please! I couldn't save Tom, but I can help Duncan, please!" I don't get an answer apart from counting, up to five and back down. "Please."

***

It's home time when I find Connor staring up at the wall. One hand has drifted upwards, tracing the name _Professor Nick Cutter._

"Who did this?" he asks quietly, somehow sensing that I'm beside him. I feel my hand go out and take his. His hand is so much rougher than I remember it being.

"Lester. It was Lester's idea." I tell him. And it was. This memorial wall was one of the first things Lester told me and Becker about when we agreed to come back. The names of employees missing or killed in action, civilians who have been lost, all carved into this wall forever. "He let me read over the list before they were all copied out onto the wall." I tell Connor, pulling our linked hands up. "I may have added some names. _Mick Harper, Valerie Irwin- _

"Tom." Connor mumbles.

"I made sure his name was first." I tell him.

"Thank you." Connor says quietly, and for a while we just stand there at the wall. Directly under Tom's name is _Captain Tom Ryan. _Something inside me pinches with pain.

I wish I could have saved Tom. I wish I could have saved Ryan. I wish I could have saved all of them.

_Then why don't you? You have a way._ it's Helen's voice._ You know you do. You can save them all._


	30. The Phantom Of The Opera

_Season 4, Episode 3_

**Matt**

I sit on the bench while my father stands, his back to me. 

"How...how long have you got?" I ask, almost unable to believe it. I had always known it was a possibility. I had just hoped it would never happen. 

"Months. Weeks, maybe." he tells me. 

"We'll talk to another doctor, get a second opinion." I offer, though I know what he will say.

"Matthew, I'm dying. You can't fix this." 

"No, but you can fight it, we can beat this." 

"You remind me of myself when I was that age, stubborn, headstrong...not quite so good-looking." I look away from him. "You'll be alright here without me." my father tells me as he moves to sit beside me. "You're close now." he adds. I turn my head to look at him. 

"Close?" I repeat. "I'm in complete darkness. I mean, it might be Philip, but I'm not sure. Connor's smart, but...someone could be dangerous without even knowing. It could be a complete stranger and I'm looking in the wrong place."

"You'll work it out. What about Alexandra?" my father asked.

"Alex? She's more likely than Connor, certainly." I tell him. 

"Alex." my father repeats. "You're getting attached to them." 

"No I'm not. I'm staying unattached, just like you told me." I tell him, pausing for a moment before I ask, "Was it worth it? Your whole life, just waiting?" 

"Of course."

***

**Alex**

I sit at my desk, looking down at the pictures in my hand. Of Connor, Duncan and Tom. One with all four of us in it. I'd gotten quite friendly with Connor's mates. And then Tom died because of a creature. Because of me. 

My soft smile melts as I remember. 

I take my keys out of my pockets, choosing one and fitting it into the lock on one of my drawers. I pull the drawer open and look down into it. I could change everything, fix everything, in minutes. 

My door swings open and I slam the drawer shut, twisting the key in the lock. Abby. 

"There's an anomaly." it's only then I hear the alarm. "Are you alright?" she asks. I nod, putting the pictures down. 

"Yeah. Fine. Where is it?"

***

My bike screeches to a stop outside the theatre and I hop off, inserting an earphone into my ear. I tap my jacket, each bump of a knife on the belt I'd put on underneath it. Phillip had finally given them back. I walk over to the car that had stopped behind me, taking the jacket off. I hear a sharp intake of breath. 

"Alex, Matt'll kill you." Becker hisses. I turn, EMD in hand. 

"Let him try, prick hasn't landed a punch on me since he got here." I say.

"He's shot you a fair few times." Becker points out.

"He's shot you too. I just happen to be his favourite target." I shrug. Abby just shakes her head. 

"Come on." she says. The three of us go into the theatre first. I go to the stage, knowing Matt's signal is coming from backstage. There are props everywhere as I creep around, Abby and Becker with me. Becker slides the backpack with the locking device off his shoulder when we find the anomaly. "We're backstage, Jess. We've located the anomaly." Abby says.

_Matt should be right behind you._ Jess tells us. 

"I'll go find him." I offer, walking slowly back the way we had come. I toy with some of the props as I walk, scanning the area. I feel strangely like I'm being watched. I see something on the floor, a lumpy something covered with a strange blanket. A rug? Oh God, it looks like a body. I crouch next to it and pull the blanket off. I swear quietly, pressing my fingers to the woman's neck. "Guys, over here." I call. I hear footsteps and look up at Abby and Becker. "She's dead." I look to the woman again. There isn't any blood, no visible wounds. My head jerks up at a noise, but nothing's there. "Right. Guys, check everywhere backstage. We need to find Matt." 

Within ten minutes the three of us are back at the anomaly. 

"No sign of an incursion." Becker says. 

"Or Matt." I add. 

"So where is he?" Abby asks. There's one option left, in my mind. He's gone through the anomaly. "Jess, anything?" Abby asks.

_I've checked the CCTV. He hasn't left the theatre._ Jess says.

_At least not through the door._ Connor adds. He seems to think Matt's gone through too. 

"Forget it." Becker says, "He'd never go through." 

"But how do we know that?" I ask quietly. 

"He knows the rules. No expeditions, no search parties, no rescues." Becker reminds me. I know those rules all too well. Becker and I had made them, after all. "And if he's been dragged through by a creature, he's already dead." he adds.

_You know it's the right thing to do, Becker. Come on, mate._ Connor says. 

"No. We keep searching the theatre." Becker says, turning to leave. 

"Becke-" Abby starts. Becker turns back to her. 

"Listen, Abigail, you can either stay here, or you can search with us, but this stays locked. Come on, Alex." I follow him without a word, my brain too busy for speaking. Abby follows reluctantly a few moments later. 

"Becker, please." she pleads. 

_Becker, mate, it's Connor, listen to me. _Connor says, _You need to open it now, this is Matt we're talking about!_

"Connor, you know the rules better than anyone. If he's gone through, it's on his own head." Becker says.

_I don't care about the rules, Just-_

"You don't know what's it's like. To be lost out there, to be trapped so far away." Abby says, anger creeping into her voice.

_Y__ou can't just leave him there._ Connor says. Abby grabs my arm and turns me around. 

"Alex, please. We can't do this." 

"We haven't finished searching yet." Becker says. That's when I burst.

"He's not here, Becker!" my voice is loud and angry, and he turns.

"Alex-"

"You know he's not here."

"Alexandra, we are not opening that anomaly." he tells me firmly.

"That's not your decision to make." I remind him. For a moment we stand there, and I can almost feel the sharp, sudden anger between us.

"What?" Abby asks.

_Andy, what do you mean? _Connor asks.

"Matt's not here. Which means I'm in charge. _I_ make the decisions." I say.

"Alexandra Louise-"

"Hilary James Becker, I am your commanding officer."

"We can't open that anomaly! Don't you remember what happened? Don't you remember what these stupid heroics do?"

"Stupid heroics? It was Sarah's idea to try and find them! You were the one who believed they were dead, Becker. Now you do as I tell you or I will go through that anomaly myself." my chest is heaving, my breath uneven, but I'm angry so I don't care. Becker stares at me, mouth slightly open. I don't turn my head to look away from him as I add, "Abby, unlock it." she rushes off instantly. I watch her go before turning back to Becker. "If it was me, would you do it? If it was me, or Abby or Danny, would you open the anomaly?" I ask pointedly, not quite looking at him, hesitating before adding, "I'm sorry, Becker. But I swore that I wouldn't let anyone else die, and so did you."

"I know. I know. You're right." Becker shoves a hand through his hair before adding in a mutter, "You're always bloody right." and then he stalks past me without another word.

***

The four of us stand in a room with a doctor and the dead woman's body. 

"What's strange about the dead woman we found at the theatre is that she died of an infection that antibiotics would have knocked out in days." Abby whispers. 

"And that's not all. She's showing antibodies for smallpox. How is that possible?" Becker asks. Matt hesitates before taking a knife out of his pocket and handing it to me. 

"Hart, how old would you say this knife is?" he asks. I begin inspecting it. My chest goes tight for a moment. Sarah would have known in seconds. Matt continues, "When I followed her friend through, she knew that world. She knew how to handle those creatures. And she had that knife with her." I look up from said knife. "I don't reckon either of them are from our time." I hold up the knife, blade in my hand.

"I reckon this is Victorian. It is just a guess, but smallpox was rife in England through the 18060 and 70s so, maybe I'm not too far off." I tell them, handing the knife back to Matt. 

***

We walk down the corridor. Becker looks at me, a question in his eyes. I nod, knowing what he's asking.

"We're taking her into protective custody." Becker says. 

"You're what?" Matt asks. 

"As you said and as far as I can tell, she's not from our time. She could be infectious, hostile, psychotic." Becker points out. "So, we take her in, keep her secure and let the experts deal with her." Becker says as we walk through a set of doors. Matt stops. 

"Hold on. We're the experts." he says.

"Anderson, he means we'll look after her. She'll be safe at the ARC until she's cleared to go back through." I try to...soften Becker's words a little.

"Look, she's not a creature, she's a human being." Matt says. 

"We know that. It wouldn't be like we were keeping her in a cage, Anderson."

"Well, in my judgement, we have to treat this with some sensitivity." 

"In your judgement!" Becker hisses, and Matt turns to him. 

"Go on, why don't you just say it." Matt said. He's goading Becker on purpose.

"Becker don-" I start.

"Fine. You chasing her through the anomaly put everyone at risk. I've seen too many people die that way." Becker snaps before turning.

"Becker-"

"Piss off, Alexandra!"

Then I hear Jess' voice through my earpiece.

_We have an incursion at the theatre. One man down. I repeat, we have an incursion._

***

Abby, Becker and I walk along the rows of seats. I swing myself up into a box, and nearly fall out of it. 

"He's here." I force myself to reach down towards the body. I take my hand back, looking at it before turning it towards the other two. My hand is red with blood. Abby and Becker's faces change as they raise their EMDs. 

"Don't move." Abby whispers, looking behind me. I freeze, my breath catching as I hear the clicking and growling of a creature. "On the count of three, dive." Abby tells me. But the next second they had lowered the EMDs. I stand, spinning as I do it, EMD in hand. I step forwards, peer round the corner, but the creature, whatever it is, is gone. I follow it for a few steps before returning to the box. I keep my eyes away from the mangled body as I swing myself out of the box. 

"Abby?" Matt's voice, down on the stage.

"There's two of them." Abby tells him.

"I think one's gone outside. I'll take it, you three stay here."

"I'll come with you." I offer, not a fan of splitting the team so unevenly.

"I'll be fine. Trust me." Matt says, winking before disappearing outside.

"Men." Abby mutters, shaking her head a little as she makes her own way down to the stage.

"Alright?" Becker asks, climbing out of the box himself. I nod. 

"Just sick of seeing dead bodies." I reply, moving off and along the seats again. I can see Abby on the stage now. I march along the row of seats and when I get to the steps, start climbing. I can hear Becker following me. 

"Alex, talk to me." he says. 

"What about?" I asks. He puts a hand on my shoulder and I turn. 

"Something's wrong, I can tell. So talk to me." 

"Me? You're the one that's been yelling all day." I say before swinging one leg and then the other over a row of chairs, turning to climb down the front of the circle. "I'm going to help Abby." I drop to the ground, jarring my ankles a little as I land and make my way backstage. I catch up with her halfway up some stairs. I don't know what this part of the theatre is called, but there's lots of stairs and ropes and metal beams and sandbags.

"Alright, Al?"

"Fine." I mutter. But then..."Abby?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you ever wish you could go back, stop Helen before she started?"

"God yes. Wouldn't have ended up stuck through that damn anomaly." Abby answers.

"You could stop Helen, save people. You could save Tom Ryan or Stephen or Nick or..."

"Or Sarah." Abby says, and I nod. I hesitate before asking,

"If you could go back, stop all that...stuff before it happened, save all those lives, would you?" I ask. Abby looks at me, clearly confused. Carefully, I rephrase my question. "If I could go back, should I?" I ask. For a moment, there's silence. But then there's a creak, the almost hyena-like barking of the creature, and her thoughts are pulled elsewhere.

***

When we get back to the ARC, the first person I see is Connor, a polystyrene box of chips in his hands. I take it from him as I pass him, greeting him in the process. He doesn't even seem to notice me or his missing dinner because he sees Philip and runs after him. I shake my head and put some chips in my mouth. They're still warm, and the first thing I've eaten today. I catch sight of Abby and swerve round a corner. I don't want her to ask about what I'd talked to her about in the theatre.

I turn up my music to block out Nick telling me not to avoid Abby. I find myself in the menagerie lab. Matt's there, standing at the window. He getting ready to go home, his coat in his hands, the main lights in the lab off. I move to stand next to him and hold the chips out so he can take some.

"I'm sorry Becker yelled at you about...Emily, did you say her name was?" I ask. Matt nods. "Sorry about him yelling at you about Emily. I know you'd rather hear the apology from him. I'll work on that for you." I say. After a pause, I add, "I would have done the same thing, you know. Run through after her, I mean." Matt doesn't say anything, but he turns his head to look at me. I take the chance to study him as I ask him a question, "What happened to her, anyway?" Matt hesitates before answering,

"She went back through."

It's been a while since I've really bothered to analyse someone's behaviour, but I still pick up on things. 

Matt's lying to me.

***

**Becker**

When I walk through the door, I don't see Alex immediately. I hear her first, a quiet muttering from the sofa. She's fallen asleep, one hand just brushing the floor. She's talking about Matt in her sleep. Well, she says 'prick' and I assume that means Matt.

"Send me out to do your shopping and you fall asleep." I mumble, setting the small paper bag in my hand down on the coffee table as I sit there. It's not so much I did her shopping as I was asked to get a cinnamon roll. I'm not quite sure how long I just sit there, almost falling asleep myself at one point. Alex shifts, pulling up her knees. She's cold. "Okay, Al, bedtime." I tell her, though I know won't hear me. I move her hand so it rests on her stomach before carefully lifting her up and off the sofa. I think she almost wakes up for a split second, eyes flickering open before closing again as she mutters,

"Up, up and away."

"Up, up and away." I agree, stepping over the cushion she must have chucked away before falling asleep. She's dropped off properly now, a dead weight as I carry her. It's only when I've put her in her bed, pulled the duvet over her and sat against the chest of drawers that I think about it. I think this is the first time she's fallen asleep here while I've been out. Alex's hand twitches, and she makes some kind of small noise. She doesn't sound distressed or frightened in any way though, so I don't worry about it. I'm almost asleep again, head nodding, when I hear Alex again,

"Tom?" she sounds properly awake now, voice clearer than before as she sits up. And she sounds upset. "Tom Ryan?"

"Alex." I start, moving so I can reach her. She doesn't see me at once, saying the name again. "No, Al. Not Tom Ryan." I tell her. I'm still not quite sure who Captain Tom Ryan was. I know he was the Head of Security, but I don't know much else. I've found Alex's hand now. She says my name this time, her fingers curling around mine. She blinks.

"Can I have some water please?" she asks, sounding almost confused.

"Course you can."

By the time I get back, she's asleep again.


	31. School's Out

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm going to say this before every chapter that mentions it  
I do not have any form of PTSD. I have tried my best to research it. As I write this story, I am always researching to try and get things right. I understand there are different forms, different symptoms, and different treatments.   
If I write something about PTSD that you think is wrong or offends you in any way, please please please tell me  
Also going to add for this chapter that I do have occasional panic attacks, but not very severe ones  
Again, if anything in this bothers you, please tell me

**Series 4 Episode 4**

**Alex**

Becker, Matt, Connor walk in a line. I walk behind them, my back to them and my EMD in hand while the others walk forwards. Walking on my own gives me some kind of privacy to go over this morning in my head. Abby has presented her proposal about the menagerie to Phillip. The proposal she'd worked so hard on ever since she got back. And he'd rejected it. He'd said we were going to put all the creatures down. She hadn't come with us to the anomaly site, clearly upset. But I can't talk through it with her until I get back.

"Why do all schools smell the same?" Connor asks. "Like spot cream and misery." I roll my eyes. 

"I quite liked school." Becker says. 

"Yeah, that figures." I mumble. 

"What about you, Matt? How were your school days?" Connor asks. 

"I don't remember." Matt tells him. 

"Come on, everyone remembers school." 

"Not me. Let's get this anomaly locked and get out of here." 

"You don't like talking about yourself, do you?" I say. Matt doesn't say anything. 

"What was school like for you, Alex?" Becker asks. 

"Eh, it was school. I mean, I was brought up by men and the people around me kept going missing. Eyebrows were raised and kids were...kept away from me." I explain. I put in an earphone and turn the volume up a little. We all walk in silence for a moment until we spot a broken vending machine, sweets and chocolate scattered all over the floor. 

"So much for a quiet, dead school." Matt remarks. I crouch and pick up two chocolate bars. I throw one to Connor and unwrap my own, immediately taking a bite out of it. Becker looks at me, incredulous. I shrug.

"What? I'm hungry. Want a bit?" I ask, and Becker pulls a face in reply. "It's cold in here" I add. Connor's jacket lands on my head and I shrug it on. I hear a dripping noise and I turn around, EMD raised, the last of my chocolate bar sticking out of my mouth. There is a small puddle of blood on the ground. I hear Matt behind me as we all head for the stairs, to where the blood is dripping from. 

"Jess, we've got an incursion. We'll keep you posted." he says. I walk ahead of the others, following the smears of blood on the ground. Matt directs Connor through a door into another corridor to check it out. I see something lying on the floor and creep towards it. It's an arm. An _arm. _Matt crouches beside me. "Jess, any activity with the anomaly?" he asks.

_Negative._ Jess replies. I hear the door Connor had gone through rattling and I turn to see him trying to open it. 

"Con? What's going on?" I ask. I hear his voice through my comms,

_I don't know, the door won't open and the lights have gone off._

Shit. 

_Jess, something's triggered the security locks._

I go to the arm and speak again. 

"Jess, we've got another problem." I says. 

"The creature's killed." Matt tells her. I hear footsteps behind me. 

"Why's the arm purple?" Becker asks. 

"The creature must have used some kind of venom. This is not good, Action Man." I tell him. My phone rings. I pull my earphones out and slip it out of my pocket. Abby. I take a few steps away from Matt and Becker as they discuss the arm. 

"Don't go too far!" Becker call. I just hold up my EMD in reply. I answer the phone. 

"Abs, you alright?" I ask.

_Yeah, yeah, fine._ she tells me. She's lying. We can always tell when the other is lying. 

"Abby." I warn.

_I'm going to get the creatures out. I've got to, Alex. I can't let Phillip kill them._ she tells me. I keep walking, making sure I'm out of earshot. 

"Abby, you can't." 

_I have to._

"Look, we can convince him, we can fight him on this. But we can't do anything silly." 

_Oh, so it's silly to try and protect them now._

"No, no, I didn't say that. You just need to think, we both do. We can think of something." 

_I already have, Alex. It'll work._

"How, exactly? We have a pair of Deinosuchi, Abby. A Silurian scorpion, a Smilodon. We have a bloody mammoth! How are you planning to get all of them out?" I hiss, trying to keep my voice quiet.

_I'm going to do it. With or without you._ Abby snaps. 

"Abby, no-" she hangs up. I swear. I hear Jess and Connor's voices through my comms.

_Jess, could the anomaly be interfering with the locks?_ Connor asks.

_Looks like the system crashed._ she replies._ All the doors that were closed at the time are locked. You won't be able to get to the anomaly._ I walk silently back to Matt and Becker, brain whirring. I don't know what Abby's going to do, but I hope she thinks it through again and realises it's a bad idea._ There seems to be some interference with the CCTV._ Jess adds. 

_I can reboot the system manually, where's the server? _Connor asks. 

_First floor admin office. You have a clear path._

"Okay, do it. We're going to go after whatever did this." Matt says. 

"Sergeant Nerd, the creature uses toxic venom. Don't die on me." I say as we start walking.

_Toxic venom, copy that, Commander Hart._

We follow the blood trail while Jess gives Connor directions to the server room. And then Jess' voice takes on a slight tone of panic.

_I saw it, the creature._

"Where did you see it, Jess? Could you find us a route?" Matt asks.

_It's in the corridor on the second floor._ We speed up and Jess' voice becomes more panicked._ Matt, there's two kids and they're heading straight for the creature. Go, fast._

"Where are they?" I don't get an answer. "Jess do we have visual!"

_Keep going, keep going. Second corridor on the left, then first right. You're nearly there, just around the corner._ _Keep going down that corridor. Keep going, you'll meet them any second. They're just around the corner, you're nearly there._ There are two doors, both of them locked.

"It's locked! Jess we need a new route now!" Becker shouts.

_I can't see them, they should be there. There's a problem with the CCTV._ We run back down the corridor we had just come up._ Keep with me, I'm trying to work on a clearer signal._

"Jess, I need a visual on these boys. Where the hell are they?" We've got to find these kids, we've got to.

_The cameras are back online but I can't get a clear picture._

"Whenever you can, Jess." Matt says, trying not to snap at her.

_There's another kid. A girl. She's in the gym._

"Okay, Jess, keep an eye on her, we'll keep looking for those boys." Matt tells her. A minute later, Jess speaks again, fright in her voice. 

_Matt, the creature's in the gym, you have to get there now!_

I take off running, ignoring Matt as he shouts after me. I can hear Becker's boots behind me as I run. I find the gym door and ram into it but it won't budge. I hear Connor's voice through my comms.

_I've located the server room. I've not seen this system before. I'm going to need a minute or two._

"Connor, we don't have a minute, get these doors open now!" I shout. I feel a hand on my shoulder. 

"Break it down. Together." Becker tells me. He counts to three, and then my shoulder explodes with pain as I ram it into the door again. On the fourth try, it bursts open and we rush into the gym. There are no signs of a girl or a creature. 

"Jess, where is she?" I ask.

_Under the stand. It dragged her under the stand._ her voice has changed from panic to shock. 

No. No no no.

I look under the stand. And then I take an involuntary step back, my hand going to my mouth.

"Jess, we're too late. We're too late." I have to force the words out. My hand moves backwards of its own accord, looking for something. It finds Becker's stomach, and then stays there, hardly touching him. The girl is dead. She's gone. We can't do anything now.

I hear a growl and whirl around, EMD at the ready. The time for regret and mourning is over for now. I look at Becker and he nods curtly. He goes to one side of the gym while I go to the other. I move into the store cupboard, full of assorted sports equipment. It's dark, the only light flickering weakly. I have to use the torch on my EMD to see. I look past a crate of balls and face some lockers. I hear a snarl and turn. 

The creature launches itself at me. I'm too angry and upset to panic. I kick it, dropping my EMD. I hear a growl. I turn my back to the lockers I had just been standing in front of. The creature throws itself at me again and I put my arms up, trying to push it off me. I punch it and kick it and it falls off me but it just jumps at me again. I hold a hockey stick in front of me and the creature's mouth collides with it. I kick its stomach and it flies backwards. As it stands again I swing my arm and hit it hard with the hockey stick. It turns tail and limps slowly out of the cupboard. I picked up my EMD and leave the cupboard too. 

I hear rather than see Becker shoot the creature as I walk out of the store room. He stands next to the creature but turns to look at me, scanning me quickly for injuries. 

"Okay?" he asks. I nod, trying to catch my breath. "What the hell was it?" 

"It's a Therocephalian. Short description, half-reptile, half-mammal." I tell him. 

"All ugly." he says. "You're not hurt, are you?" I shake my head. 

"Not even a scratch." I tell him. "Hey, Connor, forget the computer, we've got a major incursion." I let out a breath. "And a fatality. We need to find those boys now. Matt's already looking for them."

_I am done here._ Connor's voice comes through my comms._ I've just switched it back on, so once it's fully rebooted, I-_

_Connor, I can take over remotely and get the doors unlocked._ Jess interrupts him.

_Get those kids out of here._ says Matt's voice._ Becker and Hart can cover the rest. We're not going to lose anyone else today. _

_Someone needs to get to the canteen and shut the anomaly now. We've got a problem. Make that three problems._ Jess says. Becker and I look at each other and silently come to a decision. I nod. 

"I'm on my way." Becker tells the others. 

"I'll check the rest of the school." I say. "Stay alive." 

"No sacrifice." 

"No surrender." Connor says it at the same time I do.

"I promise I won't die!" Becker shouts just before the door closes behind him.

***

I march through the corridors alone, EMD ready to fire. Everything is silent until I heard Jess' voice again over my music. 

_Matt, I think there's another creature in the main building. It's tracking the two boys. _

_Jess, how many creatures in the canteen?_ Matt asks.

_Three of them, I think. _

_Connor, can you get to the boys? _

_I don't know if I can get to them in time. _Connor says. 

_Connor, I'm coming to you. _Matt says.

_I'm on my way to the canteen. Alex, where are you?_ Becker asks.

"Ground floor. I'm fine." I tell him. "Not quite sure exactly where I am, but I'm fine. No sign of any more creatures." 

_Keep looking. We can't take any chances. _Matt tells me.

"You sure?"

_Yep. We can manage. _I keep walking and listening. Music in one ear, panicked voices in the other. 

"Matt, I'm coming down." I tell him at one point.

_No, Alex, you stay where you are._ Matt had ordered. I concentrated on breathing. I find no more creatures and there is silence in my comms until,

_Jess, we need backup. The place is crawling with them- _ Becker's voice is cut off as he tries to say something else. I stop in my tracks. 

"Becker? Becker! Action Man!" I don't get a reply. I hear voices in my ear but none of them are his. I start running. "Matt, I'm going for the canteen. You and Connor figure out something to knock these creatures out."

***

I shout his name as I enter the canteen, shooting Therocephalians right and left. They fall one by one but others keep coming. I stay against the back wall, traveling along it as I fell the ugly beasts. I jump up onto a table, EMD aimed at the floor. I freeze as I reached the end of the table. A mass of creatures are sleeping on top of each other, like a pile of puppies. If they'd attacked Becker...I can't let myself think that. I'm starting to wheeze, and I count aloud to myself. I step across to the next table. I call Becker's name again but I don't get a reply. I make my way into the kitchen. 

"Damn it, Hilary, where are you?" my voice is getting higher and more strained with panic every time I call for him. I see a hand poking out from in between two metal counters. 

"Don't call me Hilary."

"Shit." I breathe when I see him. He's trying to sit upright, but he's slipping. "Shit." his eyes are half closed. A Therocephalian comes through the door, followed by others. I drag Becker to his feet, taking most of his weight. We spin in circles as we walk, shooting creatures right and left. I find a storage cupboard and pull him into it. He falls to the ground as I close the door. "Let me see." a creature has bitten his leg. I swear again. 

"Poison's spreading." he says. I take my belt off, pull out all the knives and start tying it around his leg. I'm panicking, but I have some idea of what to do. My motions are automatic. "Alex, how long have I got?" Becker asks. 

"How does 20 seconds sound?"

"Not the best news I've had all day." 

"All right, then I'll give you 30." 

We're trying to joke, to make light of the situation, but my panic and Becker's noises of pain as I tightened the belt around his leg outweighs the jokes. _Okay. Okay, think. This can't happen. Not again. Not again, not him._

"I have to pack the wound to stop the poison spreading. I need...salt. Salt. There's gotta be salt in here somewhere." I stand and search the shelves frantically. There isn't any salt anywhere in here. In here. I make a decision. I have to keep him alive. I grab my EMD and stand next to the door. "Jess, can you see the kitchen, am I clear?" all I can hear is Jess counting up to five and back down. She's trying to calm me down, but right now I don't care. "Jess, stop bloody counting and tell me what you can see!" I snap.

_The camera's on the blink, I can't tell._ she tells me. I look down at Becker. He knows what I'm going to do. 

"Alex, Alex, no. You can't." 

"Give me two seconds." I tell him. I open the door. 

"Alex, no!" 

I duck out into the kitchen. There are only a few creatures, lying asleep on the ground. I find the salt and head back to the cupboard. But then I trip, knocking into a counter. The creatures wake up. I shoot them and, inevitably, other creatures begin streaming into the room. I manage to open the cupboard door and close it again. Becker's eyes are half-closed, his breathing shallow. 

"Alexandra Louise Hart, you idiot." he breathes. I kneel next to him. 

"Yes, I'm the idiot for trying to save your life. This is really, really going to hurt, okay? You hear me?" I have to hold his leg with one hand and start pouring the salt onto the bite. I've never heard Becker in so much pain. My chest is tight, almost painfully so. My breaths are no longer even and I'm getting dizzy, but I don't care. I need to save him. I put my hands on top of the salt and press down on it. There isn't a sound from Becker. I look up. He's passed out. He's either passed out or died. I shake him carefully. "No. No no no, Becker wake up. Wake up, Becker!" my voice rises suddenly to a shout, almost a scream. I can hear Jess, somewhere in the distance, hardly heard over the yelling in my head. "No, no, we have to get out, you have to be okay, you promised!" 

I need to breathe. I have to breathe. But I don't know how. I'm a stuck record, saying the same thing over and over again, "You promised." 

And then the world goes black.

***

I wake up in the back of a car. Matt's in the driver's seat. The car isn't moving, and he's getting impatient, tapping the steering wheel.

"Where is he?" the words spill out in a mess, all at once. I can feel my heartbeat in my head. "Matt, where's Becker?" my voice is a little clearer this time, but Matt doesn't react at all. I must have moved to sit up at some point. "Tell me!" anger spikes through my voice, but disappears almost immediately as, "Please." falls out of my mouth.

"He's ahead of us, on his way to the hospital. He got the ambulance, you're in here with me." Matt tells me, eyes flicking up to the mirror to meet mine. "I'm fine, by the way."

"The kids-"

"They're fine. Paramedic checked them out and they got taken home." Matt tells me, looking to the road again as the traffic moves forward. My fingers have curled around the Pristichampsus tooth, moving it along the string around my neck.

"The girl. What was her name?" I ask. For a moment, I think Matt's going to ignore me again.

"Beth. Beth Stanton."

***  
  
I find Becker later in the room next to the armoury, trying to wriggle into a t-shirt and his old red flannel. We'd come here from the hospital, before we head home. He's been given a crutch. My head still feels soaked in syrup, still slowed down by whatever drug they gave me at the hospital to make me calm down.

"Let me help, Action Man." I say, and he does. 

"Thank you." he says.

"Need me to do up the buttons?" I ask as if speaking to a toddler.

"Funny." Becker mutters, and I smile, just before Jess walks in. 

"How are you two feeling?" she asks. Becker winces as he tries to put weight on his leg. Jess seems to take that as an answer.

"It's just a scratch." he protests. 

"That's not what the medic said." Jess says. 

"Well, just a bite then." 

"You two were brilliant today." 

"We lost two innocent people today." 

"You can't save everyone."

"We should have done better." I say. I'm telling myself off. 

"You saved two people as well. Three people." Jess says. We look at her, but don't say anything. "I'd better get back to work." she says after a moment. She turns back just before she goes through the door. "Oh, Alex? Abby says that Philip's going to leave the creatures alone." she smiles a little, "But I don't think he came to the decision by himself." the door closes behind her. Becker and I head for the door too. 

"Come on Action Man, time to go home. You're staying with me tonight, I've been assigned as your nurse."

***  
  
I creep down the stairs, silent as the night outside. I hold my shoes in my hands, my keys clenched in my teeth. I get to the kitchen and set my keys on the island so I can slip my shoes on. I shrug on my jacket and grab an apple from the bowl, slipping my keys in my pocket before picking up my helmet. 

"Where are you going?" a voice asks. I turn sharply. 

"Work." I say, trying not to act surprised at Becker's sudden appearance in the kitchen. 

"Alexandra, it's twelve o clock." he points out. 

"I can tell time, thanks." I say. "I need to go finish a report."

"Can't it wait until tomorrow?"

"I just...need to do it." I say, fidgeting a bit too much.

"Alex. Is everything alright?" Becker asks, and there's concern there now.

"Go back to bed, Soldier Boy, I'll be back in an hour or so. I promise."

***

There's no one at the ARC when I get there, the night-time lights on in the corridors. I flick the light on in my office, lock the door behind me and go to my desk, unlocking the only locked drawer in it. And there it is. I pick up the device and swipe my hand over the blue-green rectangle I call the screen. I push a slider and a golden thread of light dances on the screen, bumps of gold along the twisting lines. I fiddle with the device, putting in numbers until a date and time pops up on the screen. I press the button at the base of it and point it at the wall, holding my breath. This is my chance. My only chance to fix all of this. I don't know if it'll work. It does.

An anomaly spins into existence.


	32. Time Warp

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My brain's kinda slow today, so please point out any mistakes or anything you don't like. Also, I'm not quite sure about the ending.

**Alex**

It worked. Holy shit. It worked. I've made an anomaly. The device still works. The alarm hasn't gone off either, she must have found out how to cloak her anomalies like Christine Johnson had. Am I seriously going to do this? Sarah's trying to tell me no, telling me it's a bad idea. Tom Ryan's going spare. It's rare I don't listen to Sarah, but this time...this time I ignore her and step through the anomaly.

I didn't pick too specific a date. I just wanted to see if it would work. The sky is bright above me, summer in full swing. I close the anomaly, not daring to risk someone finding it. I drag in a breath and let it out again slowly. It smells cleaner. Like it used to. Twigs snap under my feet as I walk through the wood near Danny's village. I'm not quite sure where my feet are taking me under I hear shrieking children. The fort. Our fort. Well, we called it a fort. It was odd bits of wood and corrugate iron and a tent Patrick and I had nicked out of Danny's room and bits of rubbish we'd collected. I can't seem to stop myself walking towards it, towards the whooping of the three boys. I can't hear my own small voice. Maybe I'm not here. My mind is moving too quickly, forgetting about the sudden dip of an old rabbit hole. I tumble, falling down the hill and into the middle of the fort. The silence is so sudden it's as if there wasn't any noise in the first place.

"Oi, miss! You alright?"

Oh God. Oh my God, what have I done? They're there, all three of them. Ryan Mason, Mathew Small, Patrick Quinn. Matthew's hovering near the tent, nervy. Ryan's halfway up a tree, stringing fairy lights between them. My fairy lights. They'd put them up as a surprise for me one day, so I wouldn't be scared of being in the woods when it was dark. It's Paddy that's called out to me.

"Miss?" he asks again. I haven't answered, haven't moved to get up. He's moving towards me now, holding a hand out.

"Are you hurt?" Ryan hollers from the tree.

"No. No, I'm fine." I answer. I'm looking for something, but I'm not quite sure what..._me. _I'm looking for me. But I'm not here. Good. This is too much to handle already. I can feel hands around my wrists, pulling at them. I cooperate, pushing myself up. Paddy. Year and years ago. Pat. I realise I should say something, shaking his hands away from me. "Thank you, Pa-" I stop myself almost too late. I can't say his name. "Paige." I try. "That's my..name. Who are you?" 

"Patrick." he smiles.

"Ryan!" he calls.

"Matt." he tells me, "You gotta watch out for that rabbit 'ole."

"Well she knows that now, don't she?" Patrick asks pointedly, and Matt shrugs. My hands feel wet, and I wipe them on my jeans.

"Look, I...I've got to go. Um, thank you." the words come out so quickly I'm not sure if they make sense. I'm already turning, scrambling up and out of the dip the fort is in. I can hear Patrick's voice again,

"Come on, Ryan, we've got to go soon and we agreed Saurus would see it tomorrow." something in my chest pulls and tugs and hurts. _Saurus. _That's me. He's talking about me. Little girl me. I run until I'm at the edge of the woods, in the meadow that used to be home to cows. Here, now, is still home to cows, who look at me but soon lose interest when they realise I'm not going to feed them. I feel my hands land on my knees as I bend over, breathing hard as my hair falls around my face.

This is real. This has worked. I can do it. I could. Fix it all. I could. I could go back, see them again.

_No. _Nick. Nick's voice. Firm and stubborn. _No._ Okay. Okay. I dig out the device and my fingers move of their own accord. I don't know where or when I'm taking myself until I'm on the other side of the anomaly. It's recognizable. I'm near the ice cream place in town back home. I don't quite know if I'm back in my own time or not. I move slowly out of the alley and find a bench to sit on. I people-watch for a few minutes, trying to order my thoughts. But they're all moving so fast, different voices weaving in and out. I lift my head, and everything stops.

I'm there. Right there, all of forty paces away. My eyes are closed to the sun, my head tipped over onto his shoulder. Tom Ryan's shoulder. Tom Ryan, eating my ice cream. Turning his head a little, an almost-smile right there. He's smiling at me. Me, from four years ago. Is that really how long it's been? I can see his face so clearly in my head, hear his voice. I can't do this. I'm on my feet again, moving, but not looking where I'm going. I bump into someone and this snaps me out of it, breaks me into a run back to the alley. For a minute or so I lean against the wall. Bombshell after bombshell today, ghosts alive again. I feel myself straightening. One more date. One more anomaly. A few more ghosts.

I step through the anomaly I create and get rid of it once I'm through. I hear the wedding bells before I se the church. I walk slowly, wanting to arrive after it starts, so I won't be noticed. I sneak in the back of the church, climbing up the stairs. I know no one will be on the second floor, so I watch from there, hidden completely from sight. 

I watch my mother take her last few steps up the aisle. She is already pregnant with me, though she doesn't know it yet. I watch as my father lifts her veil, so, so carefully. As the minister starts the ceremony, I look around. At Stephen, best man, standing next to my father. At Nick, sitting next to Helen. Helen is watching Stephen rather than paying any attention to my parents or Nick. I tear my eyes away from her. I spot Danny, uncomfortable in a suit a few rows behind, his mother next to him with a squirming Paddy on her knee. His mother has forced him into a kilt for the occasion, and he is_ not_ happy about it. I try not to laugh. So that's why Paddy had never let his mother show me the pictures of him at the wedding.

The wedding. I watch the whole thing. Nearly. I sneak back outside so I can watch them all leaving the church. 

My mother is radiant, and she and my father can't seem to look away from each other. _My father_. He looks so like Stephen, but taller, freckled, and with warm brown eyes that I had inherited. They look so happy. They're beautiful, it all is. I can hardly bear to turn away from it all and go home, but I know I have to. I force myself to turn around, to walk away. Away from their laughter and smiles and freedom. 

It's the first time in my memory I have ever heard my parent's voices, heard them laugh, seen them smile in real life. But I have to go. I soldier on, forcing myself to walk away, to an alley to open an anomaly. I walk through, close it, and sit at my desk. I put the device in its drawer, close it, and lock it. I could do this. I really could. I could go back, I could save them. All of them.

***

I jerk awake to the sound of someone knocking at the door. I lift my head from the paper it had been lying on. Paper? My neck and back ache. Ohhh dear. I'd fallen asleep slumped at my desk. My desk. _Shit_. I stand and rush to my office door, unlocking it and pulling it open. Lester is standing there. My fingers go hurriedly through my hair.

"Lester, I'm sorry, I just-" he holds up a hand to stop me before tapping his chin. I wipe at my own chin, at the drool there. Crap. I've been here all night. 

"Go home, Alex." Lester says kindly. Well, as kindly as James Lester gets. "Go home, and get some sleep." I shake my head. 

"No, no, I'm fine, I can stay he-" he holds up his hand again. 

"Alex, go home. It's not a request. It's an order. From your guardian." he says. I nod reluctantly.

"Alright."

***

"Alexandra Louise Hart, that better be you!" Becker shouts from upstairs. 

"Yes." I call back, guilt filling my voice. 

"Get me down these damn stairs right now."

Shit. 

He waits until I've helped him into the kitchen before he explodes. 

"Where the hell were you? Do you have any idea how terrified I was when I couldn't find you this morning? My phone is down here, there are no landline phones upstairs, I couldn't even tell anyone you were gone! I was stuck up there, Alexandra Louise-" I cut him off, 

"I was at work! Like I told you I would be! I fell asleep, that's all. How's your leg?" I ask. 

"It bloody hurts." he grumbles as I root about for his painkillers. I find them and pass some to him before filling a glass with water and putting it down in front of him. Becker opens his mouth to speak, but I don't let him. 

"Ah ah, painkillers first. Then you can yell at me all you like." I tell him. I pick up my own medicine from the fruit bowl and sit at the table, folding my arms on it. I reach out for the glass of water and take my tablets while Becker watches. My doctor had said to always have someone watching when I took my medicine, so I wouldn't fake it, despite the fact I would never do that. I put the glass down and spread my hands. 

"Hit me. Not literally, cause then I'd have to kick your arse." I say jokingly. Becker doesn't smile. I glance at the floor. "I'm sorry." I mumble. 

"I'm not angry." he tells me. I look up again. "Really, I'm not. I'm just worried." I deflate, putting my head in my hands. "Look, Alex, tell me what's going on." Becker says as I sigh. I look up again. 

"Nothing's going on, alright?" I say. He shakes his head. 

"No. No, it's not alright. Something's wrong. Let me help you fix it." I stand, pushing my chair back with my legs. 

"Nothing is wrong, Becker. I'm fine." I shove my chair back under the table. "I'm going to go phone Connor." I walk outside, sitting on my bike before pulling my phone out and dialling Connor. 

"Sergeant Nerd, come in." I say once he picks up. He doesn't say anything. I frown. "Sergeant Nerd, are you receiving me?" I ask. There's a clunk and then Connor's voice starts speaking.

_Sorry, sorry. Receiving you loud and clear, Commander Hart._ he mutters another sorry and there is a moment's pause before he adds,_ Sorry, I was just-_

"With Philip." I finish.

_Yeah._

"Look, if you're too busy, it can wait."

_No, no, no, I can talk. What's up, Andy?_

"New random sci-fi question for you."

_Hit me._

"Time travel, good or bad? Explain using movies I've seen."

_Well, that's depends on if you do anything, or if you're seen. Back to the Future basically says it's bad if you interfere, yeah? But everything worked out in the end anyway. Prisoner of Azkaban, they needed to time travel to save people's lives. But then, of course, there's Cursed Child, which I know isn't a movie but still. They try to travel back to save someone, and end up ruining the world. Several times._

"Your own opinion?" 

_Again, depends. If you were to go only to observe and not be seen, I reckon that's alright, __innit__? But if you go back and change something, you could, you know, mess up the timeline of the world unless you are very, very careful._

"Uh huh." 

_Look, Andy, I'm gonna have to go._

"Philip?"

_Yeah. Andy, look, I'm sorry-_

"Connor, just go. It's fine." I lie. I put my phone in my pocket, but I don't go back inside, not yet. I shut my eyes and sit in silence, trying to memorise what I'd seen, commit it to memory. I never want to forget my mother's smile, my father's laugh. I start shivering quite soon, but I don't go inside. I replay the wedding in my head, the look on Nick's face, the smile that lit up Danny's mother. The quiet pride in Stephen's eyes. I sit, shuddering, my eyes closed, a soft smile on my face.

I sit, growing colder and colder until I feel something land around my shoulders, feel something warm being pushed into my hands. I open my eyes and automatically take the mug Becker is pressing into my hands. I can see the collar of his jacket out of the corner of my eye, can feel the warmth of it on my back. Becker stands there, leaning heavily on a crutch, goosebumps up and down his arms. It takes me a moment. 

"What are you doing, get back inside!" I cry as I spring to my feet. "You'll catch your death!" 

"And you won't?" he asks quietly. I take hold of his elbow. 

"Oh, shush. Come on, inside."

"Why were you outside?" Becker asks once I've sat him down in the living room.

"I told you, I was phoning Connor."

"You were out there for ages."

"It was a long phone call." I'm lying again. I don't like this, I don't like lying to him.

"Al, if there's something wrong, I want you to tell me right now." Becker says it to me the way Phillip talks to me. As if I'm a toddler. Anger spikes through me in an instant.

"There is nothing wrong! If there was, I would tell you! You know that, right?" I ask, my voice louder than I want it to be, "If anything was wrong, I'd always tell you! Always." I tell him. My voice fades slightly. I haven't told him anything about what I've been planning, I haven't told anybody, not yet. I've been lying to him.

"Well, why don't you tell me, Alexandra?" he asks, his own voice getting louder. 

"Because there is nothing to tell! So will you just back off?" 

"No! Because something is so clearly wrong!" 

"Oh, and you know me inside and out, do you?"

"But I do know you, Alexandra Louise. I know when something's wrong, and I know you're not telling me something." he says, pushing himself up to lean on his crutch.

"And how? How do you know that?" 

"Because!" Becker cries, throwing a hand in the air. 

"Because?" I repeat angrily, taking a step forward. "Because isn't an answer, Captain." 

"Because you've stopped singing. You keep twitching, and not like you usually do. You tie your hair up all the time when something's wrong and you always take your medicine at home when something's bothering you, always!"

For a moment, everything stops. I can feel my mouth hanging a little open. I'm not quite sure what to say. Apparently Becker's more observant than I'd thought. They're habits I'd hardly picked up on. What _can_ I say?

_ You can tell him the truth. _Stephen tells me.

_What, like you did?_

"You disappeared again, Al. You haven't done that since Abby and Connor came home. You scared me." Becker says, and he doesn't sound angry anymore. I want to say sorry. I want to apologise, I want to explain. But I can't. I just can't. The silence stretches on too long, and Becker lets go of a small sigh before hobbling past me and out of the room, leaving me alone.


	33. Rewrite The Stars

**Alex**

"I'm late I'm late I'm late I'm late." I keep saying it over and over again, as if the words will somehow turn back time. Becker, helpful little soldier he was, had decided not to wake me up in time for work. So I'm late, still in pyjamas and without breakfast. My knee is up on the counter, my fingers stretched out to reach the tub containing cereal bars, when my phone rings. I hold it to my ear with my shoulder, my other foot leaving the ground as I stretch further up. "Yeah, I know I'm late, give me ten minutes."

_Never mind that, I'm coming to you._ Matt's voice says.

"What, why?"

_There's an anomaly. I'll be there in fifteen minutes._

He hangs up almost immediately. I stare at my phone as another hand reaches past me and takes the tub down from its shelf.

"Unfortunately, Poster Boy, I'm not going to have the luxury of breakfast today." I tell Becker.

"Why not?" he asks as I climb off the counter.

"Because you let me sleep in." I say, hitting his chest.

"You hardly ever sleep, I thought I was being nice."

"You were being nice, Becks, but I still have to go to work. Which means I have to go have a shower."

"Don't call me that!" he calls as I take the steps in twos.

It's been a couple weeks since I first used the anomaly device. I've been careful, using it when I know no-one's at the ARC, when I know Becker's already asleep and won't notice me gone. I tripped up once, locking my office when a cleaner was doing his rounds. I have a plan. I'll tell them, I will. Just not yet. I think Becker and I have put our argument on the shelf for now. Maybe we've forgotten it entirely. At least, neither of us have mentioned it. He's been watching me, I can tell. But I've been fine. Completely exhausted, but fine. We seem to have just fallen back into step again. Everything around me seems to have gone back to normal.

I bound back down the stairs ten minutes later, hurriedly buttoning up an old red flannel.

"You can't wear that." Becker says when he sees me.

"Why not?" I ask.

"It's mine." he says simply. "You can't wear it because it's mine."

"Uh, sorry, this is coming from the man standing in my slippers, drinking coffee out of my mug while living in my house. I think I can wear his shirt for one day." I say. "And anyway, you leave your clothes lying around everywhere, it's practically an invitation." Becker just puts his coffee down and folds his arms.

"But it's mine." he says flatly.

"Fine." I shrug before popping open the first button, and then the next. "I'll just take it off and go to work shirtless." it takes four buttons before Becker processes what I've said. And then he rushes forward, grabbing the sides of the shirt and doing up the buttons again.

"No. No no no no no, you're not going to do that." for each 'no', he does up another button, "You are going to go to work fully clothed."

"Shame. Phillip would have loved it." I say drily.

"Phillip would have had your head."

"You do realise I have something on under this, right?"

"Not enough. You're wearing it."

"That's quite the change of heart, Captain." I say, just as he looks up from doing the last button. He's still holding onto the shirt. How is Becker always warm? Always, even in the middle of winter.

"Think about it, Frozen Girl. You'll get cold. And your hair's still wet, you'll catch your death."

"Always so concerned about my health, Action Man."

"You do insist on putting yourself in life-threatening situations." Becker points out. Oh. Oh, he's close.

"Well, I need to give you something to do. You can't just sit around looking pretty." I tell him, not thinking twice about my words. I register Becker's eyes darting up to meet mine but then focusing somewhere under my nose. 

"Hart!" the front door bangs open with the shout, and I jump.

"Jesus." the word hisses out of me automatically as my eyes spring open. Were they closed? My elbow bumps into the wall that's behind me. Becker is now at least five feet away from me, his back to me. I feel strangely...cold.

"Uh, no, Matt." Matt says as he walks in. I run my hands down my shirt, smoothing it out. I'm looking down at the ground as he adds, "Not interrupting anything, am I?"

"No." Becker and I say at once as I look up.

"Okay...Hart. Time to go." Matt says, looking at me as I shove a hand through my hair.

"Yeah, yeah. Fine." I say, and he turns and leaves. "Uh, Becker. Spare keys are in the top drawer of the table next to the door. Vi next door might come in about her fan, tell her I'll fix it when I come back. And Mr Rogers might come round with socks, his wife knits them for anyone who stays round here for more than three days." I say these words as if the last few minutes hadn't happened.

"Yep." is all the reply I get. I grab a jacket and follow Matt out. I'm just about to climb into his car when, "Alex! Phone!" Becker's got it in his hand as I turn back to the house. I dart back to the door to take the phone from him, jam in an earphone and bounce onto my toes to plant a kiss on his cheek before I think about it. "I'll be back once the anomaly's done with." I tell him as I turn and run back to Matt's car. Matt looks pissed off. Well. That's new.

"What was that?" he asks, the car jumping forward almost before I've closed the door.

"Nothing." I tell him, "It's a thing, it happens." I add. Which is true, but usually kisses came from Sarah. It was a habit of hers I reckon Becker picked up, kissing cheeks and tops of heads. It's quite rare, but it happens. I don't know when I started doing it. I'm overthinking this. "I'm sorry I was late, I slept in."

"It's fine." 

"What's wrong then?" I ask bluntly.

"Nothing."

"Liar. I'm observant, Anderson. It's even in my file as a special skill. What's going on?" I ask. Matt hesitates before saying,

"Emily."

"She never went back through the anomaly, did she? You hid her." I say. I'm already pretty sure about this, but I want to hear the truth. Again, Matt hesitates before he nods.

"She's gone missing. I don't want to talk about it." he says. I nod.

"Alright." I pause for a moment, "Matt." I think it might be the first time I've used his first name, "I know I argue a lot. I know I don't listen to you and I take charge more than I should. But I need you to know that I trust you. I do, really. And if there's anything I can do to help, I'll do it." I tell him. He doesn't look at me, and he doesn't react as if he's heard me, but I know he has.

***

**Matt**

The four of us walk out of the pub.

"Jess, see what you can find out about the Witchfield Worm. This place is seriously weird." Abby say as she moves to the right, to where her car is parked. Connor continues in the same direction Alex and I are going in.

"So what's the story with you and Philip? You two were looking very tight this morning." I remark as Alex looks down at her phone.

"Sorry, it's all in confidence." Connor replies. Alex stops walking and looks at him, obviously confused. I've stopped too, and Connor turns to us as we look at him. There is a pause before anyone speaks again. "Alright, fine, you've bullied it out of me. He's offered me a job at his lab." Connor tells us.

"His lab?" I echo.

"Wait. Philip's doing research outside of the ARC?" Alex asks.

"I really shouldn't say, but yeah. It's called Prospero. And the resources they have there, they could really push this thing forwards. Anything could be possible." Connor tells us.

"Well, I think I'd like to see inside Prospero one day." I say. I should probably be more careful of Philip from now on.

"Well, I'll see what I can do." Connor says to me as Abby comes back to us. Alex inserts an earphone in as Abby begins to speak.

"Jess said that people and livestock have been disappearing around here for decades. Either a creature's been here all this time..." she says.

"Or the anomaly keeps reoccurring and different creatures are moving back and forth?" Connor finishes, a question in his voice.

"Most of the possible sightings have been up on the headland." Abby tells him.

"Alright, Abby, you come with me and we'll try find that kid the barman was talking about. Connor, Alex, you two go up the headland." I say.

***

**Alex**

Connor and I walk across the hills, the long grass crunching beneath our feet.

"What was Matt saying about you and Philip? About being close?" I ask as we walk.

"How's Becker?" Connor asks immediately.

"Connor." I warn. He stops walking and turns to me.

"Look, I've told you all I can. I'm not even allowed to tell Abby. You've got to just trust me on this, alright?"

"Connor-" I don't get any further before he starts walking again.

"And, seriously, how's Becker? Haven't seen him around." he calls as I speed up to catch up with him.

"You have his number, call him. How should I know anyway?" I ask. Connor doesn't know Becker's staying with me.

"Andy, you're wearing his clothes again." Connor points out. Damn it. I had hoped he wouldn't notice. "So either you're looking after him and you've nicked it, or you two are-" I clamp a hand over his mouth before he can say anything else.

"Think very carefully about what you're implying, Connor Temple, and remind yourself who you're talking to." I hiss. Connor holds up his hands and I move my own hand away from his mouth.

"And that's why you weren't at work this morning." Connor finishes his sentence, grinning as I glare at him. He holds his hands up defensively again. "I'm just saying, if you are, it's about time." I thump him.

"Connor!"

I can hear Jess giggling through my earpiece.

"Jessica Parker, don't you dare say a word." I snap.

_I'm sorry, it's just funny._ she says between laughs.

"What's funny?"

_How-_

"Shush, Jess, it's funnier if we don't tell her." Connor says, and Jess melts into giggles again.

"No, it's really not." I tell him before turning and taking off down the hill towards the farm buildings I can see.

"Andy? Andy, please!" Connor calls. I give him a good view of my middle finger.

***

"Turn around slowly." someone hisses behind us. We do as we are told. I recognise the red-haired woman standing there, a pitchfork in her hands. She'd been at the pub, when we'd been asking about the Worm A swear explodes in my head.

_Shit__._ I hear Nick mutter in my head.

"You are on private property!" the woman hisses. "Now, put those weapons on the ground."

"But they're not really weapons." Connor tells her. Like that will matter to her.

"Put them on the ground." she orders.

"Okay." I mutter, crouching. "Okay. On the ground." I put my EMD down, simultaneously starting to slip my smallest knife from my belt while Connor crouches beside me. The pitchfork follows us.

"And that belt too."

I swear silently again and let my belt fall, which means my smallest knife falls too.

"And those earpieces, take them out." I pull mine out and Connor did the same. She doesn't say anything about my earphone, but I pull it out anyway.

"Why are you on my land? You're not police." the woman says as we stand again, moving the pitchfork to follow our movements.

"No. No, we're not. We're not police." Connor tells her as my brain flips. Connor takes hold of my wrist and start tapping, tapping for me to count. I count in my head as he continues, "We're just...we're just interested in the Worm. That's all. All the sightings that happened round here."

"Tourists, are you?" the woman asks, raising the pitchfork closer to Connor's throat as my breath catches in my own. "Carrying weapons like that? I don't think so."

"Okay. Alright. You want the truth." I blurt

"Yes."

"We're a secret government department. That Worm's a dangerous prehistoric creature and we're here to capture it, quietly, and take it away." I tell her. Connor grips my wrist tighter. It's our only chance, though I know that she probably won't believe me.

"Secret government department? Prehistoric creature?" the woman echoes, cackling. Her laughter stops suddenly and she presses the pitchfork against my neck. "Do you take me for an idiot?"

"No." it comes out almost as a whimper as the rusty pitchfork scratches my neck.

"Now, tell me why you're really here." the door to the barn bursts open, and there's a shout.

"Mum!"

The woman turns and I kick up at the pitchfork, knocking her off-balance. Connor and I crouch to pick up our things and run, pushing past the man that had burst in the door, the woman's son.

***

We find Matt and Abby down by the river.

"Twenty, twenty-five feet amphibian. Wide head, short legs." Matt says the moment he sees us.

"Hello to you too." I mutter before looking to Connor.

"Labryinthodont." he says, and I nod in agreement.

"That'd be my guess too, headed upstream." Matt says. Jess' voice comes through my earpiece.

_Matt, we've got news on Emily. Ethan took her from your flat. He had a knife. Lester wants you back here now._ she says.

Who's Ethan? Another lie, I supposes. Then I join the dots in my head. Someone else must have come through the anomaly. Had Matt known? Who am I kidding, of course he'd known. He'd just decided to not tell us.

"We'll handle this." Abby says, pulling me from my thoughts.

"Go." Connor says. Matt takes off. It's all of three seconds before I run after him.

"Matt!" I call as I catch up and he stops. "I'll come with you." I offer.

"No. Stay here, you'll be safer with Abby and Connor." he tells me. I frown. Since when did he give a shit about my safety? "Alex." for a single second, he pauses. "I trust you too."

Connor is on the other side of the river by the time I get back, and I run to catch up with Abby.

"Oh. Thought you'd gone with Matt." she says, frowning. I shrug.

"He said to stay here." I tell her. She half-smiles.

"What, and you listened to him?" she asks. I scrunch my nose up.

"Yeah. Dunno why, though." I say, and she laughs. It's good to hear Abby's laugh again.

"Now come one, you're the tracker. Find me some tracks." she order, though she's still laughing a little. I mock-salute.

"Yes, Corporal Kickass, ma'am. Right away, Corporal Kickass." I say, and she laughs again as I begin scouring the river bank. I hear Jess' voice through my earpiece, over my music and the sound of the river.

_Guys, we've got a signal._

Connor holds up his handheld detector. Me and him are the only people on the team who still carry them.

"Yep. Got it." he says. I can just about hear him. I look back down and land on my knees in the mud, tapping Abby's arm as I move.

"Connor! Tracks! It came out here!" she calls to him.

I hear Philip's voice suddenly.

_Forget about the tracks. Prioritise the anomaly. I want you to find it, now._ he orders.

"Philip, we-" I start.

_Something is keeping that anomaly in a suspended state. Now, whatever it is might give us a vital clue as to why and how they appear._ I have the funny feeling he isn't talking to any of the three of us. I hear Lester's voice, which surprises me. He has an earpiece, but it's usually switched off.

_No priority is greater than human life._ he says,_ Jess, do it._

_Lester says keep on the creature's trail._ Jess relays the order.

_Connor, you understand the importance of this. So do you, Alexandra._ Philip says abruptly.

"I understand that lives are at risk! Our priority is to protect the public." I snap. How dare he turn to me? After he tried so hard to get rid of me, he thinks I'll help him? I hear Philip sigh, then say,

_Connor, I want a black box in front of that anomaly as soon as possible!_

"Yeah, I understand, but we really-" Abby holds up a hand and cuts Connor off.

"We'll split up!" she shouts. "Connor can find the anomaly, we'll take the creature."

"Not on your own!" Connor calls.

_Matt, go with her._ Philip orders.

"Matt's radio's down, but he'll go with Connor and Abby and I will find the creature, yeah?" I'm not really asking him. I'm telling him. I pull out my earpiece and gesture for Connor and Abby to do the same.

"Don't go on your own. You wait for backup, okay?" Connor says.

"It'll take too long." Abby calls.

"She's not on her own, Connor." I remind him.

"Well, what if you flip out again? You're not much use then, are you, Andy." Connor snaps. There's a sharp intake of breath from Abby. "Sorry. Look, I'll come with you, you might need help." Connor says, trying to apologise.

"Connor, we can handle it. I don't need you or backup or Philip telling me how to do my job, and neither does Alex!" Abby shouts. And she walks off. Connor calls after her before looking to me.

"You listen here, Connor Temple. Right now, _I'm_ team leader. And I'm going to go do our job so you can work for Phillip."

"Andy, I'm sorry-" he tries again, but I'm already stalking off through the woods after Abby.

***

So, Labryinthodont in a caravan park. Saved two boys before Abby got knocked out. I am trapped in a caravan while said Labryinthodont crawls all over said caravan. So, not great. Really not great.

The caravan shakes again as the Labryinthodont bashes the side with its head. But my breathing is fine, I'm not panicking. As long as I don't think about Abby or Connor or Matt, I'll be fine. Just fine. I manage to get to my feet, but I'm knocked over again as the caravan shudders. The keys land in front of me and in an instant I know what to do. I hear Connor's voice in my earpiece.

_Andy? Andy, please. Abby's not answering. I'm sorry, I'm really sorry._

"Fuck." I breathe before saying, "Her comms are down, but she's here." I hate lying to Connor, but he'll come here to try and find her if he knows she's injured, and then he might get hurt too.

_I'm really sorry, Andy. _

"It's okay, Connor."

_I'm back at the farm. I think the anomaly's here. __You had any luck with the creature?_ Connor asks as the caravan shakes again, the Labryinthodont crawling onto the roof.

"Yeah, I've got it." I tell him. Then there is silence, from Connor and the creature.

I stand slowly, making sure I have the keys in one hand, a knife in the other. I'd dropped my EMD outside. I move slowly, edging for the door. I can't open it. I ram my shoulder against it, but the door won't budge. I pause and take a moment to count, to breathe, before going to the front of the caravan, picking my way through the things that had fallen from the walls. As I get there, the creature's head bursts through the passenger side window, shattering it. I swing my arm up and hit it hard with the butt of my knife. I hit it again, and again until it backs off. I dive into the driver's seat, stick the key in, and twist it. Thank God it starts. The Labryinthodont shoves its head through the skylight, just as Connor's voice comes through my earpiece. again

_Andy, the anomaly's in a cave on the beach under the headland. See of you can get the creature down there._ I zoom off, the Labryinthodont on the roof. I find myself smiling.

"I'm on my way." I tell him. I drive through washing line after washing line, laughing when I notice the little plastic raptor dangling from the mirror above my head. Everything is fine for a while, the caravan swerving about a little as the Labryinthodont moves, but, thanks to Danny's teaching, I can keep the caravan straight. Until the Labryinthodont smashes its head through the window beside me. I move automatically, without thinking, hunching over and yanking the steering wheel to one side. I look up just in time to see the tree the caravan is careening towards before everything goes black.

***

I go into my office, my head still aching, and freeze in the doorway.

"What are you doing here?" I ask. It isn't Becker's presence that scares me, but the device in his hands.

"Got bored." he says lightly, his face calm, though his eyes flash as he holds the device up, leaning on a crutch with his other hand. "Why do you have this?" he asks, unable to keep the calm act up. I open my mouth but no words come out. "Why? This is what ruined our lives, Alexandra Louise." he hisses. I shrink at the sound of my name, at the anger. I find my voice.

"How did you get it from my desk? That drawer is never unlocked." I say.

"Jess sent me to look for something and she gave me the spare keys for the drawers." he said. "Nothing's wrong, Becker. I'm fine, Becker. Back off, Becker." he says, voice growing colder with every syllable. "I'd always tell you, Becker." he snaps. "That reminds me. Lester wants to talk to you. Now." he holds out the device. "I think you should take this with you." I step forwards and take it before he pushes past me and out of the room. I shut my eyes for a moment. Then I turn and make my way to Lester's office. I sit in the chair across from him, my hands twisting in my lap. Lester holds out a hand and I give him the anomaly opening device.

"I hear you've been asking some strange questions, Alexandra."

"Who told you?" I ask. Lester sighs.

"Abby and Connor were worried. They didn't want you doing anything silly. I'm worried too." I fold my arms, glaring. Lester lifts the device.

"If I could go back, should I?" he says, perfectly echoing a question I had asked Abby weeks ago. "I understand now." Lester continues, putting the device down. "Where did you get it?" he asks. I keep my mouth shut. "Alexandra, where did you get it?"

"Helen gave it to me. When I was in hospital. The night I was taken in. I could barely move when I woke up. She was there, standing next to my bed. She told me I would need it some day."

"Why did you keep it? What did you think would happen, what were you planning on doing, Alexandra?" Lester demand. I stand, my hands forming fists at my sides.

"I could fix it! Fix everything! I could go back. Stop the injuries, the death. I could stop Helen. I could save Danny and Abby and Connor, save them from ever going to the Cretaceous. I could save Sarah. Nick, Stephen. My parents. I could change everything, make it right!" I put my hands on Lester's desk and lean on them. "I could-" I'm cut off by Lester's office door opening. Lester slides the device off his desk and into a drawer.

"Alexandra, hello." I turn, giving Philip a sweet, completely fake smile.

"Philip."

"Now, I'm sorry, but I have to talk to your guardian for a moment." he says. I look to Lester, who look as pissed off as I feel. He looks at me and nods curtly.

"We'll talk about this tomorrow, Alexandra."

***

I'm sitting on the menagerie bridge, my legs crossed, staring down into the pond Phillip agreed to give the Deinosuchi when the place was built. I feel rather than hear someone sit next to me, gentle hands pulling my earphones out and taking the phone from my hands. A hand reaching up again to tip my head over onto a shoulder.

"I fucked up, Abby."

"You wanna talk me through it?" she asks, a hand moving over my hair. Just this simple gesture makes me want to cry. Abby isn't a big fan of touching or hugging, but she's hugging me, holding me.

"I was going to tell you. I promise I was going to tell you. I just...I wanted to fix it. I wanted to fix everything. Sarah and Danny and the Cretaceous. And Nick and Stephen and Ryan. Helen. I could...stop her from ever finding out about the anomalies and everything could be normal. And I could save them." once I start talking I can't quite stop, "I could save my mum and dad and..."

"And you could be a proper family." Abby mumbles, "I get that, Al, I do."

"I just thought, if I could fix it, everything could be normal." I feel like I should be crying, but I'm not. I'm looking down at my hands, studying the small doodles I'd drawn on them.

"I know. God, I wish I could fix it. Could've done without a year in the ruddy Cretaceous." Abby says, rubbing my shoulder.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't do that. None of this is your fault. None of it. You hear me?" she asks before shifting so I have to look directly at her. "And listen. Textbook families really aren't all they're cracked up to be. But you have family, Al, we both do. There's me an' you and Becker and Lester and Jess and Matt. Me and you, we made our own family. Yeah?" she says. I nod and repeat her last word. She hugs me then. When Abby hugs, she always hugs as if she'll never let you go. I hug her back just as tightly.

***

"I'm sorry." I try.

"You lied to me. You said nothing was wrong." Becker says. It's the first thing he's said to me since he got home. I sit down on the sofa next to him and hold out the bottle I'm holding. "What's that?"

"Nick's whiskey." I tell him, and he takes it. "I'm sorry. I just...I didn't know how to say it to anyone. I didn't think I could until I knew I could do it. But...I don't...I don't think I could do it. I don't think it would work."

"You don't?" Becker asks, turning his head to look at me as he passes the bottle back.

"No one would know what anomalies were. The ARC wouldn't be a thing. More people would die. None of us would know each other. I would have my parents." I can't deny the fact that having my parents was probably the biggest reason I had for wanting to fix everything. I've let myself lean to the side. My hand has crept out and linked itself with the one Becker has on his knee. I'm thinking about Abby now, what she'd said to me. _Me and you, we made our own family._ So I say it, "But I've already got a family."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's kinda (very) late where I am, so let me know if I've made any mistakes :)


	34. Bombshells

_Season Four, Episode Six_ **  
Alex**

"So, to sum up, we're looking for a psychopath from Victorian London who can drive a car and seems perfectly at home in the twenty-first century." Lester says, sounding distinctly unimpressed. He's starting to stress Emily out a bit.

"Emily, he told you he was from 1902, right?" I ask. She turns her head and nods. "If he's committed any other crimes, he'll have a police record. I can find him. Becker can help, he's not quite ready for field duty yet."

"I'm fine-" Becker starts to say from his corner.

"No, Becker, you're not." I say without looking at him.

"Okay, you two track Ethan down." Lester says, just before Matt comes in.

"I'm not going back without Ethan." Emily says.

"Ethan's not going anywhere. When we find him, he's going straight to prison. I suggest you re-join your friends while you've still got the chance."

"It's her decision. She should stay if she wants." Matt says.

"He's right, of course, but if you do, I shall have to inform Phillip and the Minister."

"What will that mean for me?" Emily asks.

"It means we won't be able to protect you as much as we have." I tell her.

"She should stay, she's our only real link to Ethan." Matt says.

"It's her decision." I say, repeating his earlier words.

"Whatever happens, you better not let her out of your sight." Lester says to Matt, who's frowning at me. And then the anomaly alarm goes off. I dart out of Lester's office after Matt and Emily. She's walking slowly, almost as if in a trance.

"Hey." I try to say it softly, try not to startle her. After what Ethan's done to her, I assume she'll jump at loud, unexpected noises more than most. "Emily." she turns.

"Alex." she says, looking worried. I give her a smile.

"Look, Matt'll tell you that our top priority is your safety. It's not."

"It's not?"

"No. Emily, our top priority is your happiness. If you're happy here and you want to stay, that's brilliant, I'll make sure it happens. But if you want to go home, if you're happier there, that's great too. It's your choice, Emily. It's your life." I tell her. Emily looks at me for a second, staring into my eyes as if searching for a lie. Of course, she doesn't find any sign of one. She smiles.

"Thank you." she says simply before turning and following Matt.

"Alright, Frozen Girl. Show me how you're going to find a hundred-year-old criminal." Becker's voice says from behind me.

***

"Jess, there was an Ethan Dobrowski. He was a notorious anarchist, thought to be from Russia originally, though nobody seems very sure. He murdered at least a half dozen people before disappearing without a trace in 1902." Becker holds out the sheets of paper he has to Jess as he speaks. I hold out my own file, and Jess looks at it.

"Scotland Yard?" she asks, indicating the watermark.

"Don't ask." Becker tells her, tiredly.

"He's basically a time-travelling serial killer. Ethan Dobrowski was the most common of the pseudonyms he used. Men fitting his description to the letter have been popping up randomly throughout history under different names, and he always does the same thing." I tell her before letting Becker take over, 

"His MO was to take over property near his victim, watch them for days, then move in and assassinate his target."

"That's how he knew Emily was alone." Jess puts the pieces together, "He must have been watching Matt's flat."

"Run a security check on all of Matt's neighbours, Ethan might still be nearby." Becker tells Jess. We stand there for a moment longer, watching Jess tap at her keys until I hear Lester's voice,

"Alexandra. Would you care to explain why I have the director of Scotland Yard on line two?"

"Alex, what did you do?" Jess asks without turning round.

"I may or may not have used Danny's ID to get into Scotland Yard's records..."

***

**Becker**

"Jess, what have we got?" I ask, trying to see Alex. She, of course, has ignored me and gone on ahead.

_The only apartments that look onto Matt's place are on the eighth floor._ she tells me.

"We're on our way up."

_Where's Alex?_

"Where d'you think? She doesn't listen." I say before calling, "Alex? Alexandra Louise Hart-"

"I'm here. Locked door, I'm picking it. Has to be this one." she says. "And shush."

"You've got a nerve." I tell her. She's crouching in front of the door, so I shift myself to stand behind her, my back to her and my EMD up. Just in case.

"I've got several." Alex mutters as I nod to three men. They turn and leave to check the rest of the floor. "And right now, Ethan's on every single one of them." her agitation is palpable, the clicks of her lockpick not as delicate. And then I hear a snap. "Fuck."

"What is it?"

"Damn lockpick's broken." Alex says, throwing it behind her and pulling a pin out of her hair. There's a moment of silence as she bends into shape. Well, almost silent. She's muttering to herself, too quiet for me to hear.

"Alex? Alex, what's wrong?" I ask. I hear a sigh. Alex must lean her head back, because I feel it land on the back of my knee.

"I really, really want to punch him. And kick him. And shoot him. He shoved Emily in a coffin, Becker. She's going to be terrified of the dark now. She's going to despise small spaces. She'll be scared of cars and of trusting people. When she came here, she was proud. Proud of her independence, her ability to survive. And now? Ethan's changed all that." her voice is soft, but I can tell she's pissed.

"Well, unlock that door and you can punch him as many times as you like." I promise, and she lifts her head. A second later I hear the quiet clicking as she works the lock open. When she's done, she stands and lets me and the soldiers go in first. Alex prowls in the background, studying everything she sees until the area is proclaimed clear. She stands beside me at the newspaper-covered window, the uneven light casting strange shadows on her face. I pull one of the newspapers away and peer through the window. It looks directly onto Matt's flat.

"Jess, this is it. No sign of Ethan. Alex, have you got anything?" I ask. But Alex doesn't say anything. She's twisting her fingers, pulling a ring off, putting it back on, pulling it off.

_Alex?_ Jess asks.

"Something's off. Something...I don't know." Alex says, clearly preoccupied. She moves over to a table covered in papers. There's a table full of wires, bits of electrics. The soldering iron is still hot.

"Ethan's been here. And recently." I say. My eyes find Alex as she drifts around, her hand moving up to reach for a bulb hanging from the ceiling as she rises up onto her toes. She pulls a piece of paper from it. "Alex?"

"Photographs." she mumbles. "Photo booth strip. Colour. So some time after the 1930s. But the clothes say a long time after that. It's ripped. Two boys..." her voice trails off then. Whether she's aware of it or not, she's tracing the shapes of the boy's faces with her finger.

"We'll set up a surveillance system outside. With any luck, he won't know we're onto him." I say when it's clear that Alex isn't going to say anything else.

_Okay, well, Lester wants you to head out to the anomaly site, he hasn't heard from the others for a while...Be careful and stay together._

"Stay together?" I repeat.

_What?_

"You said-"

_Oh, sorry, gotta go._

"Jessica!"

***

**Alex**

"Matt said it's in the wine cellar." Becker tells me as I lift my EMD. "Creature incursion. Some kind of...dog?"

"Hyaenodon? Interesting...I want to see its teeth."

"You what?"

"If there's a dead one I'm doing an autopsy."

"Alex, no."

"Paleontologist, Becks."

"Don't call me that." he tells me, and I take a moment to repeat his words in imitation of him. "That's the door." he tells me, and I reach for the handle. I reach for the handle, but the door swings open before I can touch it. The woman that storms out stops, stares at us, and brings her hands up to her head.

"Oh, fuck it, you're invited too." she snaps before marching away. There's a beat of silence before I turn to Becker, and I'm almost certain the surprise on his face is doubled on mine. The door creaks open again and my EMD lifts to meet it.

"Don't shoot me, Al." Abby says.

"Abby. Want to tell me why Jenny Lewis just _swore_ at me?"

"She, uh, she's getting married."

"Married?" Becker blurts.

"And we're all invited."

"Wedding?!"

"Anomaly?" I ask.

"Locked, but Matt wants us to stay here just in case."

***

After Becker and I have searched our half of the building, we find the others, minus Matt. They're all sitting down, but Jenny stands when she sees us.

"Drink?" she asks, holding up a glass. "Alex, are you alright to..."

"I have adult supervision, I'm good." I tell her. She knows all the ins and outs of my deal with Lester. Connor and Abby are already holding glasses as they talk to Michael, and Jenny passes me one. Becker doesn't make a move to take the one she has for him, so I take it and follow him to the chair he's gone to.

"On duty." he says simply, and my eyes roll.

"And Jenny's getting married! Oh, look, she's about to kiss Michael-"

"Give." Becker says, taking the drink from me without looking at Jenny or Michael, who's still talking to Connor and Abby. I tune into their conversation.

"Yeah, just work." I hear Abby say. "Nine till five. You know the routine." I'm confused for a moment before I realise that of course Jenny hadn't told Michael about her old job, about us.

"Not really." Michael replies. "I'm a musician."

"That's pretty cool." I comment.

"You any good at Rock Band?" Connor asks. I nearly roll my eyes again. "I've got a top score of-" he's cut off by Emily coming through the door. "Emily!"

"I can help. If I'm going to be stuck here I can't just sit around." she looks at me and I widen my eyes, trying to tell her to stop. She turns to Abby. "Did a creature come through the gateway?"

"Is this one of the team building things?" Michael asks me.

"Yes." Jenny and Becker say together.

"What's teambuilding?" Emily asks.

I stand at the same moment Matt walks through the door with two soldiers. Jenny stands, her face falling.

"Emily." Matt says as the soldiers pick up our abandoned EMDs. Emily turns to Michael.

"Forgive my confusion. I'm not quite myself today." she says, trying to smile reassuringly.

"Hart." Matt says as he follows Emily out of the room.

"Yep." I answer, passing my glass back to Becker before going after them. Matt leads us to the hall that's set up for the wedding ceremony tomorrow, keeping hold of Emily's elbow.

"What was I meant to do?" she asks.

"Sometimes it's easy to forget that none of this is normal." Matt tells her.

"You left me sitting there. If I'm stuck in this time, I have to be useful."

"I'm sorry."

"Matt, let me help you." Emily pleads, but he turns.

"We should go." he says to her before looking to me. "Alex, I'm going to-"

"Stay right here, that's what you're going to do." I tell him. "Emily's right. She can help, Matt." I say, and Emily nods. "She can hold her own against the creatures, you know that. It wouldn't hurt to have an extra pair of hands, would it?" I ask. Emily shifts her eyes from me to Matt, looking at him expectantly. "And the best way to keep her safe is to keep her with you." I add, with the feeling that this might be the thing to sway him. He sighs, and I know I'm right.

"Alright. Alright. Come on." and he leads the way back to the room we had come from while my phone buzzes in my pocket. I take it out as I made my way over to a chair, sitting on the arm of it without really concentrating on who was sitting in it. I look up from my phone when I feel someone tapping my arm. Becker.

"We should be back at the ARC, we need to find Ethan." he tells. I show him my phone, the message I'd gotten from Jess.

_No sign of Ethan at the flat. Surveillance systems up and running._

I type a reply back before putting my phone back in my pocket and taking my glass from his hand.

"Look, you need a break. And so do I. We all do. One of our best friends is getting married, we're all here together, so let's just..." I pause to breathe out. "Just relax a bit, yeah?" he starts to frown, probably about to tell me off for mentioning the word, 'relax' but he stops, his eyes moving away from mine. I turn my head. Jenny's fiancé, Michael, is standing in front of the chair we're sitting on. I smile and hold out a hand. "Hi. I'm Alex. Sorry to bust in on you like this." I say. Michael smiles back, shaking my hand.

"Nonsense. It's nice to meet some of Jen's friends. She doesn't talk about her past much." he said, letting go of my hand and shaking Becker's. "So, what do you two do at the firm? I assume you're both still there." he ad

"Yes, we are."

"I'm security." Becker tells him.

"Yes, I guessed as much. The uniform." Michael says, indicating said uniform. "What about you, Alex?" he asks. I let myself smile a little, looking at top of Becker's head.

"I'm his boss." I say, rather smugly. "You told Connor you were a musician, right?" I ask.

"You like music?" Michael asks.

"She's never not listening to something, our Andy." Connor says as he passes. I smile and tap the earphone I have in.

"He's right. It helps me concentrate."

Jenny laughs at something Abby had said and Michael's head turns. He sees her and his whole face lights up. He looks back to us. "Sorry, would you excuse me?" he asks.

"Course." Becker tells him. As Michael leaves, he lets out a long breath.

"Oh, he loves her." I breathe. Jenny looks so happy with him. My glass is suddenly no longer in my hand. Becker's just downed the whole thing.

***

Jenny takes another bottle of champagne from the bucket on the table.

"Well it's about that time." she says, "I shall see you tomorrow." she adds, leaning down to kiss Michael. "Don't be late." she turns to the rest of us as Becker makes an almost inaudible sound of disgust. "Nightcap in my room?" she asks. I stand, glass still in hand.

"Yes please." Connor says.

"Girls only." Jenny tells him.

"Sexist." Connor grumbles. I turn from Abby to Becker, who's still sitting down.

"Be nice." I tell him. He raises an eyebrow.

"I'm always nice." he tells me, and I push a hand into his shoulder.

"Don't get drunk. Jenny would not like Drunk Becker on her wedding day." I tell him, and his eyes narrow. "And don't tell me you don't get drunk because I have video footage." he's relaxed fully into the chair, already tipsy.

"Emily, would you like to join us?" Jenny asks. Emily looks up at her and makes to stand up but it's Matt that answers, 

"She stays with me." the room goes quiet.

"She stays with me?" Jenny repeats. "What is this, the 1800s?"

"Just think it's time we all turned in." he says.

"Gosh, he's Mr Fun, isn't he?" Jenny comments. "Must be a laugh a minute on the team these days." Emily stands up.

"I'd love to come with you." she moves to stand beside me. Jenny mock-salutes as we turn to leave.

"Have fun." Connor calls. "We will." he adds, sounding slightly defeated.

***

I'm not sure what time it is when I wake up. I remember that Jenny has my phone. She was looking at pictures. It's still in her hand now. I can see Abby, curled up in a ball. It's dark in here, moonlight slicing through the window and casting odd shadows that move as I push myself to my feet. There's a cardigan hanging off the back of a chair, and I shrug it on before pulling the door open and padding out into the corridor. I don't know my way around the big house, just wandering aimlessly. I find a window and sit in it for a while. The trees look so pretty with the light of the moon on their leaves. I get up when I see Emily walking back towards the house, Matt a few steps behind. They probably wouldn't like me seeing them right now. I keep walking, my socked feet hardly making a sound against the wooden floors. There's a little sitting area not too far away, a fireplace, a sofa and chairs. I can see a dark head of hair over the back of the sofa, a glass bottle on the table.

"Shouldn't you be in the boys’ room?" I ask as I sit, picking the bottle up and drinking from it.

"The best man snores." Becker tells me.

"So do you."

"I do not."

"You don't have to listen to it." I point out, just as he pulls the bottle from my hand.

"Shouldn't you be in the girls’ room?"

"Woke up. Got an hour or two, I think." I tell him, tucking my feet under myself. "You know, I wish I'd seen one of the creatures."

"You wanted its teeth, didn't you?"

"Yeah. I don't know much about Hyaenodons. You can tell a lot about an animal by its teeth." I say. Becker passes the bottle back to me. There's silence for a minute or so, and my body shifts to one side, my head tipping back to rest on the back of the sofa. I start at the sound of Becker's phone. "Is it Jess?"

"It's Morgan." he tells me simply. Morgan. His sister. "She's gotten a promotion and she wants me to rub it in Mum's face."

"What does she do again?"

"Forensic pathologist down in Adelaide. Practically the opposite of what our mum wanted for her." he tells me, "She's been there since I joined the army and she still forgets the time difference." he tells me, and a soft laugh escapes me.

"But you're awake. So she's not so wrong." my words turn into a yawn at the end, and Becker looks up from his phone.

"Go to sleep, Al."

"You go to sleep."

"I'm not going back into that room."

"Then I'm staying here."

***

**Abby**

I was looking for Connor when I found them. I should have expected it, honestly. Alex and Becker somehow squished onto the same sofa. They're both too long for it, Becker's feet up on the armrest and Alex's knees bent. For a moment I wonder if Alex had curled her fingers around the neck of Becker's uniform when she was awake or if it happened during sleep. One or both of them shifts and Becker's hand disappears up the back of Alex's shirt. I cough loudly and both of them wake up at once, Alex's head whacking into Becker's chin.

"Anderson, it's not-"

"I'm not Matt." I tell her, nodding to Becker as he sits up and rubs his chin, "But you better scarper, he's looking for you." I tell him. His eyes focus on me properly, and his eyebrows go up. "Don't."

"No, it...it's, uh, nice." he tries.

"Oh, Abby, it's lovely." Alex breathes.

"Thank you." I say, waiting for them to join the dots. Alex gets there first, launching off the sofa.

"Oh shit, the wedding." she rushes off down the corridor, socked feet sliding on the floor.

"Cosy, were you?" I ask Becker, a smile creeping over my face.

"Look, Abby-"

"I'm kidding. Come on, I've got to get you back."

***

Connor still hasn't turned up. Matt and Emily are in the hall. Either he's already in there or he's...somewhere else. Could be anywhere in this place. I hold onto the envelope in my hands so I don't pick at my fingers. Becker looks...uncomfortable. Matt had made him put on the other spare suit jacket he'd found, telling him that he couldn't wear his uniform to the wedding. Alex is still upstairs, but I can hear the sound of heels making their way down.

"No idea why Jenny wanted me in heels. Just because _she's _bloody Catwoman in them." Alex grumbles. I'd seen the dress Jenny had picked out yesterday, but it look different in the sunlight. Dark red, covered in lace. I hadn't noticed yesterday that it's off her shoulders. I only notice now because Jenny's hair lady has swept all of Alex's hair up on top of her head. I can see the thin lines on her neck, the curling, jagged white scars over her shoulders. "Ta-da."

"_Very_ nice. Give us a spin then." I smile, and she does, holding the skirt out. The white marks continue over her back. She's smiling too when she faces us again.

"Going in then?" she asks. Becker hasn't said anything, and I elbow him. He starts, almost looking confused before copying what Matt had done for Emily, holding his arm out to Alex. She tucks her hand into the crook of his arm and reaches for me, but I turn and walk into the hall before her other hand can catch mine.

**Alex**

We follow Abby to the row behind Matt and Emily. She lets Becker in first, then me, and then she sits at the end of the row. I frown. Connor isn't here. He wasn't with Abby. I can't see him anywhere. Abby leans forward to tap Matt's shoulder.

"Where's Connor?" she asks.

"Thought he was with you." Matt says, frowning. But then, Matt frowning isn't unusual.

"Something's wrong," Abby whispers, "He'd never miss the ceremony." I don't know if someone else is going to say something, because the music picks up, everyone's cue to stand as the little flower girls toddles into the room, followed by Jenny arm in arm with her dad, and her bridesmaid following close behind. Everyone sits at the same moment as the music cuts out, once Jenny has stopped to stand beside Michael. My knee crosses over the other, and my fingers start fiddling with the hem of my dress. I can't look at Jenny as the registrar starts rambling, my eyes instead drawn to a window, but not focusing on anything. Connor isn't here, and Abby's worried. Sure, he could just still be sleeping...or he could have wandered off. Or he could be hurt. Or something could have gone wrong with the anomaly. Or there was a creature. Or he could have fallen down the stairs. Or...or anything could have happened. I'm losing what grip I have on the thread of my thoughts. Just as I pull a thread free from the lace at the hem of my dress, warm fingers thread through mine.

"Stop worrying." Becker tells me, voice low and close to my ear, "He'll be fine. Connor's made of rubber, he just bounces back. Look at Jenny." he tells me, and I do. The word 'radiant' comes to mind. Happiness is filling her features. I can tell by the way she's standing, shoulders relaxed, that she's sure. Sure of herself, of her choice. She knows she's found the right one. I hardly know Michael, but the look in his eyes as he watches Jenny rather than the registrar...

_She's beautiful, 'ent she, Sarah?_ Danny asks from somewhere in the back of my mind.

_She looks so happy._ Sarah breathes, happiness pouring through her voice.

_Yeah. She does. _Nick sighs, rather sadly.

"We are here to support Michael and Jenny as they face their future together, accepting whatever may lie ahead." the registrar says before turning to Michael, "Do you, Michael Miller, take Jennifer Lewis to be your lawfully wedded wife?" he asks.

"I do." Michael says, more to Jenny than to the registrar. Jenny looks straight ahead at the registrar as he asks her the same question,

"Do you, Jennifer Lewis, take Michael Miller to be your lawfully wedded husband?" he's hardly finished his question before Jenny's head whips round to the sound of stumbling footsteps. Heads turn, including mine. Connor's just fallen into the hall. Several people shoot to their feet, including Abby.

"Everybody! Run!"

***

I sit on the sofa I'd slept on last night, Hyaenodon puppy curled up in my lap. I feel a hand on my shoulder before I see Jenny moving to stand in front of me. Her eyes land on the Hyaenodon.

"It's alright, she's been knocked out. She's injured, she wasn't going to make it. Abby and I thought rather than letting her die we should keep her." I explain.

"Does Mr Fun know?" Jenny asks, sitting in the chair closest to me.

"Matt? No, not yet."

"I told Michael. Before Lester married us, I told him everything. About the anomalies, about Claudia Brown, about Nick...Alex, do you think-"

"Jenny." one of my hands goes out to sit over hers. "He would be so happy for you. You've moved on, Jen, you've gotten yourself a good life. You've found things and people that make you happy. He'd be happy that you're happy. He'd tell you to name your firstborn child Claudia..." I let my sentence end there as Jenny laughs. "And you know what Nick would be most proud of? You knocking that Hyaenodon off the stairs. He'd have loved that." I tell her. Jenny's hand turns under mine so she can hold it as she smiles.

"He'd be proud of you too, Alex." she tells me. We sit in comfortable, warm silence for a minute or so before I stand, pulling Jenny up with me.

"Let's go find your Prince Charming before he gets attacked again." I tell her as we start walking arm in arm.

"What about your Charming?" Jenny asks, an odd look in her eye. I feel my eyebrows knitting together.

"I don't have one." I tell her.

"Aren't you and...Actually, never mind. Forget I said it. Let's find Michael."

***

My leg jogs up and down madly as I chew on a pen. I've still got my dress on. I get the distinct feeling that I'm irritating Jess.

"Why are you still here, Alex?" she asks, not unkindly. Sometimes I don't think she's capable of being rude or unkind.

"I wanted to go on the stakeout but Becker said I'd be a distraction." I tell her, spinning in my chair again.

"Did he now." she says, almost too casually. "Why don't you go home?"

"Because I want to help and if I can't stake Ethan out this is the most I can do." I tell her, knotting my finger into a necklace. "And I'm hungry."

"Well it is quite late. And I suppose Becker will be hungry too..."

"You are trying too hard to be nonchalant, Jessica Rose Parker." I tell her.

"Simply speaking my thoughts." I can't see Jess' face, but I just know that her eyebrows have disappeared under her fringe. I lean my head back and start spinning again, chewing on my pen, listening to a very loud band through my earphones.

There's a space of ten minutes before Lester plucks my pen from between my teeth. He holds it like one would hold a bag full of dog poo.

"Alex, don't eat my pens, I pay for them and stationary is unexpectedly expensive. Go spend your own money and get some dinner. Take Becker food as well, he'll forget to eat." he tells me.

***

"Hi."

Becker nearly jumps out of his skin when he hears me, automatically going for his EMD.

"Don't shoot me, Lester'll have to do more paperwork."

"Alexandra Louise Hart, what the hell are you doing here. This is a stakeout, I told you to go home."

"Yeah, well, I didn't listen. And Lester told me that I had to feed you. So Chinese." I say, lifting the bag in my arms up a little.

"Alex, I wanted you to go home so you'd be safe."

"Isn't it so much easier to look after me if I'm here? And if I'm here, I can look after you." I say, and Becker shakes his head. He's tired, I can tell.

_Pull out the big guns._ Stephen tells me. I fish around in the bag and pull out a box.

"Prawn crackers! Your favourite..."

"Fine. Get in."

I'm almost done with my chicken chow mein when Becker asks,

"Why did you come, Alexandra Louise?"

"Why are you annoyed? You only call any of us by our full names when you're annoyed." I say.

"I'm not annoyed. Not exactly. It's just that if Ethan turns up, you could get hurt."

"And you couldn't?" I ask pointedly before shoving another forkful of noodles in my mouth. "And...I just have a feeling. Emily showed me the pictures she drew of Ethan. I just feel like I've seen him somewhere before, I feel like I know him. And the photos I found today, I've seen those boys before, I'm sure of it."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I had to be sure. And the best way to be sure is if I'm here when Ethan gets here." I say, my voice splitting into a yawn. Becker sighs. Again. He keeps doing that.

"Look, Al, go home and get some sleep. I'll see you tomorrow." he tells me. He's rubbing at his eyes as he says it, over-tired.

"No, I'm staying. I've always wanted to go on a stakeout. You're stuck with me."

***

When Becker falls asleep, head falling heavily onto my shoulder, I want to put my music on to fill the silence, but I daren't move in case I wake him up. My fingers twitch as voices fill my head. It's dark, the only light the one above my head in the car. I tuck my feet under myself and let my head tilt to the side to land on top of Becker's. I'm exhausted and anxious and I want nothing more than to close my eyes. But I can't. I have to watch the screen. I have to watch the stairwell and wait for Ethan.

My eyes are half-closed when I see him. Ethan. He pauses for a moment. And smiles at the camera. There's a flash of memory when he does it. I've seen that smile before. And then he's gone.

"Shit. Becker. Becker! He's in."

"What?"

"He's in the flat."

"Shit." it's as if he hasn't been asleep at all. He's wide awake, reaching for his EMD and climbing out of the car. "Call for backup." he tells me. When he sees me moving to open the door he adds, "And stay in the car, Alex."

"But-"

"Stay in the car!" Becker calls as he runs off, disappearing into the darkness. It takes me all of twenty seconds to call Jess. My knee has started bouncing up and down again. I'm playing with the ring on my finger. My hand moves to my ear to fiddle with an earring. Then to the zip of my jacket, my necklace, my gun. My_ gun._ A real gun. I grab it and leave the car, slamming the door behind me. I click the safety off and march towards the stairs.

"Stay in the car my arse."

I find the door and kick it open, my gun trained on the human body on the floor.

"Alex! Alex, don't shoot, it's me." it's Becker. My breath catches in my throat. He's on one knee, holding something up in the air. He hasn't moved. 

"It's rigged, isn't it?" I ask. 

"Yeah." he tells me before realising something. "I told you to stay in the car!" he hisses. 

"I was worried!" I hiss back, gesturing with my handgun. 

"Okay, okay. Just put the gun down. Put it down, Alex. On the floor, don't move from that spot." 

"He's not here, is he?" I ask, doing as I'm told. 

"No. But he's left something for us." Becker tells me. "There's a pressure pad under my left foot. It's attached to that metronome and I think that's a bomb." my chest goes suddenly tight as he says it. "This counterweight hits the floor and, well, I think that ignites the bomb as well. I need you to come over here and tell me if I'm right." I move towards him. His hand lands on my leg as I draw level with him, stopping me. "Trip wire." he says, "Careful." I step over it carefully, my breath still caught somewhere in my throat. "Breathe, Alex. Remember to breathe." There's something big and tall, covered by a sheet. I pull the sheet off carefully. I take an involuntary step back. 

"Oh God." 

"That could destroy the whole building. You need to get out of here." I don't move. "Now!" 

"No."

"Alex, go, now!" 

"I'm not leaving you."

"He knew we were watching him. Alex, you need to leave now!" 

"No!" I say, louder than I had meant to, almost shouting, "I leave, you die. I'm not letting that happen. So I'm staying put, Soldier Boy. Do you know what to do?" my voice is higher than it should be. My panic is showing. Becker sighs. He knows he can't stop me. Not without exploding us both.

"Yes. Yes, I know what to do."

"Then tell me."

"Okay. Go round the back of the bomb and tell me what you can see." he tells me. I do it. 

"There's a black box." I tell him. 

"Take the back off it." I do. "Tell me what you can see." There is almost nothing but wires, and I tell Becker so. "There should be a small cylinder in there. The detonator, with two wires, a red and a green wire coming out of the bottom of it." he says. I nod. "Alex, I can't see you, tell me what's going on."

"I can see the wires." I say. I peer inside the box, pushing the wires aside carefully. There's a sudden spark and a little puff of gas and I jump back, panicked, and odd strangled sort of noise squeaking out of my mouth. 

"Don't touch anything." Becker orders, voice sharp. "Can you see anything?" I can't form any words. I'm panicking. This isn't good. "Alex? Alex, listen to me, you're okay. You're okay. Breathe, Alex, breathe for me." I suck in a deep breath and then let it out. I go back to the box. "You're doing brilliantly." Becker tells me. 

"No I'm not." I reply, my voice tight. 

"Yes you are. You can see the cylinder, can you?" he asks. The metronome is getting faster and faster. It's almost as if it's actively putting pressure on me. 

"Yes! Yes, I can see it." I say, relief trickling through. 

"Okay. There's a pair of pliers on that table." Becker says, nodding towards it. I nearly run to it and back. "Now, very carefully take out the red wire. Do not touch the green wire." I take off my jacket, repeating the orders in whispers to myself over and over again. "Quickly, Alex. This is getting heavy." I look inside the box again, the metronome ticking ever faster. And then dread runs coldly down my spine. "Alex? Alex, what's going on? Talk to me." I swallow hard before speaking, my voice shaking. 

"There's no green wire. They're both red." I breathe out a "Fuck." as panic overwhelms me and my hands start to tremble. 

"You get out now. I mean it, Alex!" Becker orders. 

"No!" I shout back. "I can do it. I can get it. I'm not leaving you. I can't." I tell him. My breathing is all over the place. He starts counting, the numbers littered with the words 'go' and 'get out, save yourself'. "Shut up!" I yell, squeezing my eyes shut. "Just shut up!" swears pour from my mouth as I force myself to breathe, to open my eyes and look at the box. I hover the pliers over one wire, then the other, then back. I make my decision and snip just as the metronome stops. 

I hear a loud thump as Becker lets go of the counterweight and dives to the side. I take a step back. 

"Oh my God. Oh my God, I did it." 

I'm frozen for a second. I'm vaguely aware of my hands shaking.

"Alex? Fro-oof."

Becker is cut off by the fact that I've run into him. He hugs me to him, and I hug him back, letting my eyes close as a hand holds onto the back of my head.

"Hey there. You are bloody brilliant." Becker tells me. I find myself smiling as I pull myself away from him a little.

"I know." I say, and he smiles too before leaning forward and kissing my forehead. I'm not even surprised by it. I hug him again, my arms around his neck. Both of us are utterly out of breath, desperately trying to catch it. "You're pretty brilliant too, Action Man."

"I know."

I hear footsteps. Becker steps away from me as quick as a whip. He shouts orders to the soldiers that have come in. I find a box and sit on it, shoving a hand through my hair and grabbing the old coin that hangs around my neck.

_Breathe, Starlight. You did fantastic. Now breathe._

***

**Becker**

A short while later, we're still searching. 

"Becker?" 

I turn instantly at the worry in Alex's voice. She's standing near the window, the gaps in between the newspaper pages casting stripes of light on her face. She has a sheet of paper in her hand, which she holds out to me. I take it and, ignoring the drawings on it, look at the black scribble at the top. It's mostly smudges, but I can make out a few words.

_Check the wall_. 

"He's left a message." Alex breathes. I watch as she walks to a wall that is covered by a sheet. She gives the sheet a sharp tug and it flows down to the ground. There's a small choking noise as she look up at it. I move to stand a few steps behind her. The wall is covered in papers and string, all connected by pins. Alex's shaking hand floats backwards towards me and I take it, stepping to stand beside her. I look up a word daubed on the wall in black paint.

_Starlight_

Underneath it are two, smaller words.

_Find Starlight._

"What's Starlight?" I wonder aloud, confused. Alex speaks after a moment, her voice small and scared. 

"It's me."


	35. Hey Brother

_ Season Four, Episode Seven_ **  
Matt**

Lester steps out of the lift at the same moment as Emily and I walk into the ops room. He looks up from his phone to see who's walking near him, and when he sees it's me he speaks,

"Ah. The Minister's authorised all security services to track Ethan down."

"We can catch him ourselves, we don't need outside help." I tell him, and he stops to turn to me, his hand gesturing towards Jess' monitors. Alex is leaning on the back of Jess' chair, watching the footage of Ethan over and over again, trying to recognise him.

"The man is a murderer and a lunatic. The police and MI5 are involved now. It's outside our remit." Lester says firmly, about to step into his office.

"He came through an anomaly. That's our remit." I point out, and he turns back to me. "And now we know how he thinks, we're best placed to find him."

"Listen-"

"Just get me access to the evidence from the apartment, buy me some time, and I guarantee you we'll find him." I cut him off, and Lester frowns at me.

"And who is 'we' Matt? Are you including Alex in that, or had you forgotten he's tracking her down now?"

"Our way, we clean up our own mess and you're back on the Minister's Christmas card list." I tell Lester, and he puts his hands up.

"Fine! Fine. Fine. You've got till the end of the day. I can't hold them off any longer than that."

***

**Alex**

Connor stands a few steps ahead of me in front of the locked anomaly, pointing his dating calculator at it. I turn as Abby and Becker come back from searching the prison. 

"No sign of a creature attack." Abby tells me. 

"Really?" I ask. 

"Yeah, the door was locked. Nothing could have gotten in." 

"We only registered one anomaly. That's this one." 

"We've searched the entire building. There's no sign of an incursion." Becker says.

_I__'m growing old here, Connor._ Jess' voice comes through my earpiece._ How long does it take to get a date from this thing?_ she asks. 

"Okay, I'm getting something." Connor says. There's a pause. "Looks like 1870-ish." 

"Ish?" Abby asks. 

_You left home in 1867, right?_

"Jess, no, don't tell-" I start. But either Jess doesn't hear me or she ignores me.

_I__ think we've found an anomaly back to your time._ Jess says, clearly speaking to Emily. I sigh and cover my eyes. 

"What's wrong?" Becker asks. 

"Connor's inventions rarely work first time around." I remind him. "No offence, Con."

"Some taken." he says. 

"If it's wrong, we'll get Emily's hopes up." I say.

_Connor, are you sure?_ Matt's voice asks. 

"Trust the technology, Matt. And you, Alex." Connor says as Becker rolls his eyes. Before Connor can finish speaking, however, the anomaly unlocks. In an instant, Becker, Abby and I are in front of it, EMDs ready. 

"What happened?" Abby asks. 

"I don't know." Connor answers. 

"Connor, time to turn your toy off." Becker tells him. 

"It won't have anything to do with this." Connor protests. 

"Turn it off, now, Sergeant Nerd." I order. 

"Guys, it leads to the Victorian era. What do you think's going to come through? Oliver Twistasaurus?" Connor asks jokingly. Becker clear his throat, shooting Connor a look. 

"Fine." Connor says as he switches the calculator off. Connor locks the anomaly again and Becker turn to him, a smug look on his face. But the anomaly unlocks again and our guns are back on it. "It must be a problem with the locking mechanism." Connor says, kneeling beside it. 

"Can you fix it?" Becker asks. There's a screech and all of us, minus Connor, take a step back. Connor stands, his own EMD raised. A terror bird comes through the anomaly. 

"Low charge! Let's just scare it back through." Abby shouts. After several hits, the terror bird turns and goes back through the anomaly.

"If that was what I think it was, your calculator was only, what, a few million years out?" I say, my annoyance quite clear.

"Jess, we're going to need backup down here right now." Becker says from where he is crouching on the floor. We stand guarding the anomaly while Connor checks the locking mechanism, saying there's nothing wrong with it. Jess says she's sending another one. A few minutes later, her voice comes over all our earpieces again. 

_Guys, Ethan can track anomalies. Matt's on his way but Ethan might already be there._ There's another pause before I speak. 

"Ethan could be armed, and he'll be coming straight for the anomaly." I say, starting up my EMD. "You three stay down here." I tell them, "I'll see if I can head him off." 

"Alex-" Becker starts. He's cut off by the unmistakable squawk of a terror bird. 

"Change of plan. Abby, Connor, you stay with the anomaly. Action Man, come on." I say as I turn and start walking towards the squawks.

"Abby and I double-checked, the place was clear." Becker tells me as we walk. 

"I know." I reply. He goes on for a few steps, but a flickering light through a door stops me in my tracks. An anomaly. "Becker." He steps in front of me and kicks the door open. I scowl at his back until I catch sight of the anomaly. It's different. It's pale silver rather then the usual warm gold, and it looks as though it's...glitching. I can't think of a better word. 

"How on earth did the ARC not pick this up?" Becker asks. A terror bird bursts through the anomaly and we steps backwards, Becker closing the door. Our backs hit the door at once, all of my weight pushing against it to try and keep it closed as the bird rams itself against the other side. 

"Jess, we've got a terror bird and another anomaly in a store room." I say.

_I'm only registering the first anomaly._ Jess tells me._ Are you sure?_

"Yes, Jess, pretty sure." Becker tells her. The squawking stops suddenly. Becker looks to me and I nods. "One, two, three." he whispers before opening the door again. Both the anomaly and the bird are gone. We run back into the main hall of the prison, running down the stairs just as Matt comes in. 

"Any sign of Ethan?" he asks. 

"Nope, but we've got a really loopy anomaly." I tell him. 

"Show me."

***

"This is like nothing we've ever seen before." I catch the end of Connor's sentence. 

"And the anomaly we found in the store room, it didn't look normal. It was paler, not as strong." I tell him, Matt and Abby. 

"And that can't have been open long cause Becker checked all the cells, right?" Connor asks. 

"Yeah." Abby tells him. "If they're coming and going quickly, it would explain how the tourist disappeared earlier." 

"Connor, is there anything to indicate that someone might have manipulated this anomaly, like interfered with it?" Matt asks. 

"Interfered?" Connor repeats. "How? I mean, there was nobody in the room when we arrived, if that's what you mean." Connor tells him. There's a screech, and then a terror bird is in the room, moving through the archway. 

"Not again." I mutter as we spread out, all aiming at it. 

"Don't shoot. I think it wants to go through." Abby tells us. Sure enough, it does. We all move towards the anomaly. 

"Becker, check for anomalies, we've got an incursion." Matt says. 

"That was the same bird." I realise aloud. 

"Really?" Connor asks as all three of them turn to me. 

"Yeah." I tell them, pointing at my cheek. "Same scar."

"Well, that'd mean the anomaly you saw must be part of this one." Connor says. 

"How does that work?" Matt asks. We hear a squawk. "Move, it's coming back through!" Matt yells as he shoots something that falls through the anomaly. It isn't a terror bird. It's human. I crouch next to the body and roll it onto its back. It can't be. It is. 

"Danny."

Connor helps me drag Danny away from the anomaly, just as Becker comes back from checking the nearest cell. He picks up Danny's wrist, looking at his watch. 

"Danny? Danny, it's Alex." I say, hoping the charge on Matt's EMD hadn't been too high. 

"I can't believe you shot him." Connor says. "He's been away over a year and he finally makes it back and you just," Connor mimes shooting a gun, sound effects included. 

"Sorry." Matt shrugs. "He'll be okay, it was on its lowest setting." Becker drops Danny's wrist. 

"Come on, Quinn, get up. Stop faking." he says. 

"Becker." Danny mutters. He lifts his head, his eyes opening to look at me. "Becker." he says again before his eyes fully open. He looks at me. "Wow Becker. You're much cuter than I remember." Danny pulls me to him as I laugh, hugging me tight as the others laugh too. "Hey there, Sunshine." Danny mutters. "What was that?" he asks as he pulled away from me. 

"That was Matt." Connor says. 

"He shot you." Abby explains. 

"Matt likes to shoot people." Becker tells him. 

"Yeah, I'm his favourite target." I add. 

"Matt Anderson." Matt says. "Sorry mate. You'll be okay in a couple hours." 

"I'm really back, aren't I? Never thought I would see you again." Danny says. 

"We waited for you." Abby tells him. 

"What happened? Where were you?" Connor asks. 

"Here and there. Mostly through there." Danny tells him, nodding at the anomaly. 

"Look, guys, Ethan could show up any minute. Abby, you take Danny back to the ARC. Connor, keep trying to lock that thing. Becker, Alex, come with me." Matt says. I nod and follow him and Becker out after hugging Danny one more time. 

"Don't die." I call.

***

**Alex**

It's me that finds Ethan after all. As I turn into a corridor there's a pop and I duck back. 

"Stop running, Ethan!" I yell. "There's nowhere to go!" I turn back out into the corridor, but he's gone. I find him again and stand directly in front of him. "Don't move! You're going round in circles, Ethan." I say, quieter now. "Drop the gun." I am strangely unafraid of him. If anything, Ethan feels weirdly...safe. And that just confuses me more. 

"Tell me where the gateway is." he says. I know that voice. I know it so well, but I can't place who it belongs to. 

"Drop the gun. Make it easy for yourself." 

"Tell me where the gateway is, Saurus." he says. I know that name. It's a nickname for me. He knows me. I know him. 

"Drop the gun." I say again, though my hands are starting to tremble. "What have you done to the anomaly? Matt reckons you've messed with it."

"Please. Just tell me where the gateway is, Saurus." he pleads. 

"It's over, Ethan! What was your plan?" I demand. 

"There's no plan. I thought I wanted to stay in this world. I don't. I thought I could find you, stay with you. I was wrong." he tells me. I know him. He's so familiar, but I still can't figure it out. "Just tell me where the gateway is, Saurus. I don't want to hurt you." 

How does he know me? How does he know the Saurus nickname? There are only three people that had ever called me that. Their names appear at the front of my mind, but disappear when a terror bird appears out of nowhere. It stands between me and Ethan, screeching. By the time I have shot it and it falls to the ground, Ethan is gone. I hear Matt and Becker behind me, calling my name. 

"I'm here! He went this way!" I shout. I wait until I see them before I start running after Ethan. He's in the main hall, running down the stairs. He turns around and pulls the trigger on his gun. It hits a wall and he keeps going. Danny appears, Abby and Connor behind him, and Ethan aims his gun at Danny's face.

I see them together, in full light. I steps down the stairs. Matt grabs my shoulder but I keep going. I stand behind Danny. I can see Ethan. See who he is. My EMD slides out of my hands. 

"Paddy." I breathe at the same time as Danny says, 

"Patrick." 

***

Danny and I follow Becker as he pulls Paddy down a corridor. Paddy's in handcuffs. 

"Give us two minutes with him, Becker. Please! Just two minutes." Danny begs. 

"I'm sorry. Matt doesn't want anyone talking to him." Becker tells him. 

"Becker!"

He turns at the sound of my voice. Sees the tears tracking their way down my cheeks. Paddy was as good as a brother to me. _Is _as good as a brother to me, no matter what he's done. He's a brother I haven't seen for nearly two decades, a brother Danny and I have been searching for for years. 

"Look, I promise I'll let you two see him later, alright?" Becker says before taking Paddy through the door. Danny calls his name. Then he explodes, turning and hitting the wall. Lester comes along and takes him to his office. I stay, watching through the door. 

Paddy's eyes never leave mine.

Becker sneaks me into the room behind the mirror as Matt asks Paddy questions. I'm not really listening, but a sentence jumps out at me suddenly. 

"Every day I waited for him to come and rescue me, and he never did." Paddy says. 

"Who, Danny? So this is all about your brother?" Matt asks. 

"He's not my brother. Not anymore." Paddy pauses before adding, "I want to talk to my sister." 

"You don't have a sister." 

"I want to talk to my sister. I want to talk to my Saurus." 

"So this has nothing to do with the anomalies?" Matt asked. "This is just because you want to punish your brother?" 

"I want to talk to my sister." Paddy repeats as my hands curl into fists. 

"I thought you were somebody else." Matt says, more to himself than anything, as he stands. "But I was wrong."

I burst out of the observation room as Emily walks away from Matt. 

"Matt!" I call. He doesn't stop. "Matt!" I shout louder, running up to him. "Let me talk to him." I say, grabbing his arm. He turns. "Matt, please. He'll talk to me. Let me speak to him." I plead.

"You're Saurus? You're this sister he's talking about?" Matt asks. 

"Not by blood." I tell him, "But our gang of friends, it was me and Paddy and two other boys. We were kids. We always said we were brothers and a sister. Some people actually believed us. Saurus was what he used to call me, what they all used to call me, because I loved dinosaurs." I explain hurriedly, my words tumbling out madly. "Please, Matt. Let me talk to him. I can convince him to talk to Danny." Matt nods after a slight hesitation. 

"Alright. But you'll have Becker in with you." I surprise myself by hugging him. 

"Thank you."

***

I sit in front of Paddy, Becker standing a few steps behind me. They're glaring at each other. 

"I don't want him here." Paddy says before looking at me.

"I don't get to talk to you unless someone's with me." I say. Paddy scowls. "I trust him, Pat. He stays." I tell him. Paddy's face softens.

"Alright. If you trust him, that's good enough for me." he says, and I smile a little. 

"Paddy. I missed you so much. Every day after I tried to make myself go in the house, to find out what had happened. I couldn't do it, Pad. Everyone thought you were dead. They all thought Ryan did it, thought he killed you and Matthew. How did you survive, Pat?" I ask. Paddy reaches out for my hand. I let him take it, though I hear Becker's grip on his gun tighten. 

"I don't know, Alex. I don't know how I did it." he tells me. 

"You said you thought you wanted to stay here. You said you were wrong. That you couldn't. Where would you go?" I ask carefully. 

"Back through the gateway. I don't belong here anymore." he says simply. Then he changes slightly, squeezing my hand. "Saurus, I want you to come with me. I want you to come through the gateway."

"What? Paddy-"

"I want to stay with you, but I can't stay here. Come with me."

I drop his hand and stand. 

"Danny wants to talk to you before you go." I tell him, my voice flat. 

"I don't want to see him." Paddy says. 

"Please, Paddy. Talk to him." I says. Paddy hesitates, then sighs, 

"If you want me to, Alex." 

"Yes. Yes, I do want you to." I tell him, and he nods slowly. "I have to go, but I'll come back, I promise." Just before I reach the door, he calls my name. 

"Alex?" I turn. Becker's edged himself in front of me. I step around him.

"You know I'd never hurt you, right? You know that?"

"I know." I tell him.

***

I'm sitting in Lester's office with Danny. I still can't quite believe he's here. 

"Sunshine. You have no idea how much I wanted to see you again." he says, holding onto my hand. I never want him to let go. 

"You're going to stay, right?" I ask. 

"Yeah. Course I am."

"Danny...he asked me to go back with him. Through the anomaly." 

"You're not thinking of going?" he asks. I shake my head. 

"No. No. He's not going either. He's not going anywhere." I say. 

"We'll fix it, Alex. We'll make him better." Danny says. I hear the hiss of Lester's office door and turn to see Matt in the doorway. 

"You can talk to him now." he says. I stand when Danny does and hug him once again. Danny holds onto me, pressing a kiss on top of my head. 

"Stay safe, Sunshine. I'll be back soon."

I'm still sitting there ten minutes later when the intruder alarm starts blaring and Jess' voice speaks over the PA.

_I__ntruder alert. All units to corridor 5._

I don't stop to think. I just run. I'm not sure where Becker joined me, but the two of us are running side by side now. We find Paddy, pointing an EMD at Emily. 

"Hey!" 

He hears Becker's shout and pulls Emily to him. 

"Ethan, Patrick, whatever you name is. Lower your weapon slowly and get down on the ground now." Becker orders. Emily's scared to death, I can tell. "Now!"

"Paddy, put the gun down and let Emily go." I say calmly. His arm is tight around Emily's neck. She must be finding it hard to breathe. Paddy lifts the EMD to Emily's head. At such close range, if he pulls the trigger, it's likely to kill her. Knowing this, Becker and I spread our arms as one, keeping our own EMDs away from us. "Okay, Paddy. Okay. Just don't hurt her." I say, trying to keep my voice level. Paddy lowers the EMD. 

"I won't." he says. "Hurt her." he lifts the EMD and fires it.

"Becker!" I shout as he goes flying. I lift my own EMD as Paddy says, 

"I really didn't want to do this, Saurus." 

There's a whizz, and I go flying backwards too, landing next to Becker as pain explodes in my chest. As he walks past us, as Becker struggles to get back up, Paddy shoots him again. Then he pauses, looking at me. 

"Paddy, please." 

"I had such high hopes for you." 

And everything goes black as pain splits my head in two.

***

I wake up in the med-bay, nearly toppling off the table when I realise where I am. Hands catch me either side of my waist.

"Okay. Okay, Alex, sit up. Slowly." one of Matt's hands moves up my back to help me sit up.

"Paddy-"

"He's gone, Alex. Took one of the cars and went back through the anomaly." Matt tells me, and my shoulders slump. 

"Where's Danny?"

"He went after Ethan."

"Oh." the word is quiet and sad. "How long have I been out?"

"Not too long. An hour." Matt tells me. "And the anomalies have closed." he adds, heading off any ideas of following them. Matt hesitates before adding, "Emily's gone too."

"Oh, Matt-"

"It's fine." he says, though I can tell it's really not. "Alex, Danny told me something and he said to tell you. He said that Philip knew Helen. He asked Philip about it and he denied it. Danny says that Philip is not to be trusted."

"I don't trust him anyway, never have." I tell him. _Not after he tried to kick me out._

"Good. Cause I never have either."

"Matt?" I ask hesitantly.

"Yes, Alex?"

"When you were talking to Pad-Ethan." I correct myself quickly. "You said you thought he was somebody else. What did you mean?" I ask. 

"Nothing. Nothing at all." Matt says. 

A lie. Another damn lie.


	36. Keep Yourself Alive

_ Season Five, Episode One  
_ **Alex**

There isn't actually an anomaly, but a man has disappeared and it certainly sounds like a creature incursion. I creep closer to the edge of the hole in the ground. 

"Jess, where's Connor?" I ask.

_He's just left the ARC with Philip. I can't raise him on __comms__._ she tells me. I look to Matt. 

"We can't wait for him, we need to get down there, see what we're dealing with." he says. I nod. Abby and Matt climb down a ladder. Becker and I wait for them to reach the bottom before jumping down, ignoring the ladder. 

"Doesn't look man-made." Abby says. 

"Hell of a big mole then." Becker replies. He moves to take a step forward, but both Matt and I reach out to stop him. Matt looks at me, confused, as I say, 

"Burrowing creatures work on vibrations. Every step you take lets it know we're here." I speak quietly, remembering the Silurian desert. I crouch carefully, slowly, and lift up a dented hard hat, handing it to Matt as I stand back up. There is a rustling, clicking noise. 

"Listen." Matt whispers. 

"I can't-" I cover Becker's mouth to shut him up. He pulls my hand away, but didn't say anything more. Not that it matters. What looks like a massive beetle is crawling towards us. "Full phase." Becker orders, automatically falling onto one knee.

As the creature gets closer all four of us shoot at it, but the EMDs don't seem to affect it. 

"Weapons are useless." Becker spits. 

"Up top, now!" Matt shouts. I don't move as the others climb back up the ladder. I'm still shooting the creature, keeping it at bay until the others are safe. "Alex, I'm not crawling down there to save you!" Matt shouts. I turn and haul myself up the ladder. I turn immediately back to the hole, pointing my EMD down it. 

"So what now?" Abby asks. 

"We need guns. Lethal weapons." Matt says. 

"What?" Abby asks incredulously. 

"Really?" Becker asks hopefully. 

"Abby, the EMDs were useless, the bullets were just bouncing off it." I point out. 

"But hang on, it could have a-" 

Matt cuts her off, 

"No, Abby. We're not going to stun this one and bring it back to the menagerie. We're going to have to kill it." he tells her. 

"Finally, common sense." Becker says. "Leave it with me." he turns and leaves, going back towards the cars, his phone already in his hand. 

"Oi! Get them to bring my knives down too!" I yell after him. I get a thumbs up in reply. I look to Matt. He's staring at the hole in the ground. But he doesn't seem surprised at all. He seems to know exactly what to do. Almost as if he's seen it before.

***  
  
"Right. This looks like its main tunnel." Connor says. 

"Right, well its nest's going to be off that somewhere." Matt says. 

"Why assume that?" Abby asks what I am thinking. Matt ignores her question completely. 

"Our best bet is to predict when it resurfaces and be ready." 

"If it resurfaces." 

"It'll resurface." Matt said. "Now that it knows its got a food source above ground." he explains. 

"You know, there's no creature like this in the fossil records. I would recognize it. Which means it's from the future." I say, watching Matt carefully. He's looking into one of the car's wing mirrors. "Which means we know fuck-all about it." I add. Matt's eyes flicker away from the mirror. 

"Brilliant." Connor says. There is a short while where the three of them look at the laptop and I watch Matt until Jess speaks again. 

_Matt, we have another potential creature attack. I'm going to send you the coordinates now. A house not far from you. It's killed again._ she says. 

"Thanks, Jess. I'll fetch Becker, he'll be thrilled he gets to shoot something." I say as we all head for the car. 

"Two victims in an hour, this thing's hungry." Abby comments. 

"It could be stockpiling food." Matt says. 

"Or there's more than one creature." I suggest before running to get Becker. There's something going on with Matt. He's acting as if he knows this creature. He is very sure of every guess he makes. Sure enough that I'm not so sure they are guesses.

***

**Becker**

Alex and I to the house before the others did, mostly due to her haphazard driving, and we're round the back of the car organizing guns. Well, that's what I'm doing. Alex is going through her knives, choosing which ones to put on her belt. She's trying to figure out why the belt is a few holes tighter than it used to be. I turn and poke her. 

"It's because you stopped eating." I tell her. She scrunches her nose up. 

"Did not."

"Did too."

"Maybe we should have gotten a tank for these creatures." Alex says, peering into the back of the car, at the small pile of guns there.

"I tried." I sigh. The others arrive and I hand them guns, not really listening to their conversation as Alex goes up on her toes to look over Connor's shoulder. He notices her there and asks,

"Commander, can you hang back and give me a hand?" Abby and Matt head for the garden and I move to follow them, but I'm stopped by Alex's voice.

"Hey, Action Man." I turn. Alex is holding a dagger out to me, the dagger the knight had given her all that time ago. 

"If you get the chance, stab it for me, yeah?" she says. I take the knife. "Don't throw it, though." she adds, "I don't want to lose it." 

"I won't." I promise. She grins. 

"See, I'm safe. Staying away from the action." 

"Stay that way, you need to recover." 

"I'm fine. I never follow orders for long, Captain." 

She turns back to Connor and I follow Matt and Abby into the garden.

"Stay back from the edge of the hole." I remind them as we crept into the garden. It's deserted, garden chairs, fold-away tables and garden toys knocked over, drinks spilled all over the place. 

"We need to find the next large patch of grass." Matt tells us. 

"But the first attempt was in the road." Abby points out. 

"It can't burrow through concrete, the workmen made that hole themselves. It's hunting for food, it won't be far. We need to lure it out again." 

"How are we going to do that?" I ask. 

"Vibrations." Matt answers. He starts up a lawnmower and pushes it against the edge of the hole and then backs away. The three of us are all a few steps away from it, guns aimed at the hole in the ground. Within seconds, the rumbling begins. But then the lawnmower stops. Matt swears and goes to it. 

"Matt, be careful." Abby says. The rumbling resumes from behind us, loudly rustling a bush, and we turn to it. I hear a voice that shouldn't be here. 

"Guys, it was under our noses all along!" Connor is running towards us. 

"Connor no!" Alex is right behind him as the monstrous creature bursts from the ground. 

Alex shoves Connor out of the way. 

And the creature drags her into the hole instead.

***

Abby, Connor and I march towards the building Connor said would be the nest. 

"Guys, wait. Hey, calm down, we need to be careful here." Matt tells us as he hurries after us. 

"Don't tell me to calm down." Abby snaps. 

"She could be dead already." Connor says as if he's only just realising it. I turn without really thinking, and speak without a second thought.

"It's your fault she was taken, Temple!"

"How's it my fault?"

"She was saving your arse. Again. You bloody idiot."

"Hey-" 

"Connor." Abby cuts in, taking hold of his elbow. "Leave it." she looks at me and repeats herself, "Leave it. Arguing won't achieve anything." 

"She's not dead." I call as I turn and walk towards the building. "She can't be dead." I add, muttering to myself. I try all the doors I can see while Abby argues with Matt, Connor standing by, staring at the ground. A voice comes through my earpiece. The words are breaking up like on the phone.

_Abby? Action Man? Is anyone there?_

**Alex**

I hear a voice. It comes through my earpiece. 

_Don't tell me to calm down. _that's Abby's voice. I open my eyes and concentrate on breathing, listening to voices through my earpiece while my eyes adjust. 

_She can't be dead. _Becker's voice. 

No. No, I'm not dead. Not yet. 

"Abby? Action Man? Is anyone there?" I'm beginning to panic as I lie on the floor, trying to breathe. I don't want to move because it hurts. I don't know how badly I'm injured. 

"Alex." Becker's voice says.

"Alex?" Abby and Matt ask at the same time. 

"Oh God. Andy, can you hear us? I'm so sorry." Connor says. 

"Yeah. Yeah, I can hear you." I force out. 

"Alex, are you hurt, are you okay?" Becker asks. I lift my head to look down at my bloody leg, put my hand to the cut on my head and wince. 

"Few bumps and bruises, but I suppose that's to be expected in this line of work. Creature's dead, guys, good job." 

"Alex, where are you? Are there any other survivors?" Matt asks. I force myself up onto my elbows and almost gag at what I see. 

"No. They're all dead." 

"Can you see a way up to the ground? Can you get out?" Abby asks. I turn onto my front. 

"There's an escalator." 

"Okay, Alex, head up there." 

I pull myself up, using the wall. 

"Is there any sign of anymore creatures?" Matt asks. 

"No. No other creatures." I tell him as I limp towards the escalator, using the wall. I had to let go of the wall when I reach the escalator and I stumble, nearly falling. I try to mask the yelp of pain.

"Alex? Are you hurt?" I'm pretty sure that's Becker, but his voice sounds different. He's worried. I lean heavily on the handrail and say, 

"No, I just don't like being on escalators that aren't moving. It just feels really odd." I cringe as I lie. Abby sees straight through it. She always does.

"That's something Connor would say, Alex." she says, her voice carrying a warning. 

"I've got a little scratch on my leg. I'll be fine." I tell her as I force myself to start going up the steps. 

"Your definition of little scratch and mine are pretty different, Al." 

I finally reach the top and I move forwards, dragging my hurt leg a little. 

"I'm at the top. I can see daylight." I say. The windows are tinted, frosted, whatever the word is that means you can't actually see out of them. I take another few steps, and then I stop. "Um, Matt. You asked if there were any other creatures." 

"Alex, how many? " he asks. I swallow. 

"However many you're thinking times two." 

"Can you get a route out of there? Can you get to the front doors?"

"Yeah, sure I can. Tell you what, I'll pop to the Lonely Mountain and bring back the Arkenstone for you on the way." 

"Not the time, Hart. Whatever you do, do not wake one of those creatures. You wake one of them, you wake all of them." Matt says. 

"Funnily enough, Anderson, I wasn't planning on doing that." 

"It doesn't matter, if they escape we'll get the conventional weapons, we'll take them out." Becker says. 

"Can we?" Connor asks. 

"Not a nest of them, you won't. With this many tunnels, they'll be all over the city in no time." Matt tells him. Becker swears. 

"Alex, just get out of there." Abby tells me. 

"You can do it, Andy." Connor says. 

"This is your fault, Connor!" I point out angrily before sighing, "Sorry. Not your fault, of course it's not."

"Alex, listen to me, just get out before one of them wakes up." Becker tells me. But I can see there is no way I'm going to get out without jostling one of the creatures and waking them up. But, somehow, I'm not panicking. I am utterly calm. I look around, hoping for some inspiration. I see some pipes. 

"I've got an idea." 

"No. You get out of there, now." Becker tells me.

"Listen to me. Getting me out is the least of your problems" 

"Alex-" I cut Abby off, 

"If Matt's right, then we need to deal with these creatures before it's too late. And right now, I'm in here, so I'm our best chance." I tell them. 

"Alex, forget that, listen to them and get out of there." Matt says. 

"Look, you guys trust me. So trust me on this. Get Jess to pull up the records of the utility services to the building." A short while later, I speak again, "Please tell me there's a gas supply connected that's been connected to this building." I say. 

"Pipes are capped but the mains are connected, all we have to do is turn the gas on again." Matt tells me. 

"Good. Do it. I'm going to open the valve." 

"You're a genius, Alex." Connor says. 

"Yet here I am, surrounded by about fifty huge carnivorous insects. And I'm the one that's allergic to insect bites. Connor, will it work?" 

"Yes. It'll work" 

"Right, we've cleared the area. I'll go prep the detonators." Becker says. I smile, despite my pain and fear. 

"Blowing stuff up, your favourite thing, Becks. Wish I could be there with you." I says. Becker gives a half-hearted imitation of an explosion. 

"Just as long as I don't blow you up too. What happened to staying safe?" he asks quietly. I sigh. 

"Hey, guys, you know we can hear you too?" Connor asks. I hear an, "Ow!" and assume Abby's hit him. 

"Right, where is the valve?" I ask. 

"According to this there's a capped pipe on the southeast wall, can you see that?" Matt says. I hobble forwards a step or two before I see it. 

"Yeah, I've got it." 

"Al, be careful." Abby tells me. 

"When am I not?" 

"Literally all the time." Connor says. I already know I won't make it out alive. If it works, I won't survive. There is no way I can move fast enough on this leg. Well, at least this way I get to say goodbye.

"Guys. Listen to me, and remember what I say. Remember it." I start. "I'm going to die." I don't get any further before a voice interrupts me. 

"Al-"

"Abby, shut it. Just listen. Please, listen, I have things to say. Matthew Gideon Anderson, I will haunt you. You will rue the day you shot me. And every other day you have ever shot me." Matt laughs, but it's forced and humourless. "Sergeant Nerd. Don't blame yourself, alright? This isn't your fault, you didn't know what would happen. And tell Duncan the truth about this, will you? Don't let him find out from somewhere else. Corporal Kickass. When you feed Princess, she likes to be sung to. The mammoth likes to mess up your hair." my voice is breaking a little now. "The Smilodon has learnt how to pretend it's ill, watch out for that. Look out for our boys, yeah? They can't manage without us. Action Man-" 

"Alex, stop it. You're getting out. Stop." he tells me. 

"I suppose you can have your hoodies back. And other...various other items of clothing I may or may not have stolen. You can have your spare room back. And hey, you might even get a decent night's sleep every once in a while with me gone." I stop talking for a moment as the tears come faster. "Now, you lot, I need you to do as I tell you. For once, just obey orders. Do not come for me. Don't try to rescue me. You hear me? Do not come for me. Don't do that to yourselves."

It takes what feels like forever to get to the pipes. 

"Detonator's primed. You're getting out of there, Alex, you hear me? You're not going to die." Becker tells me. I pull levers until I heard a hiss, and then I turn. The creatures are awake. I don't speak. There's a long silence. I hear a single voice. Stephen. 

_Maybe you are. _And I think, just for a moment, that's fine by me. At least it's to save other people.

"Alex, are you on the move?" Matt asks. I don't answer. I cough, the gas already starting to take effect. "Alex, hurry up." 

"Jess, shut off the gas." Abby says. 

"No, Jess, don't. They're awake and I'm trapped." I say, my voice sounding forced. "If we don't take them out now, they'll get through the tunnels and we won't be able to stop them." I'm finding it hard to breathe, and it isn't because I'm panicking. If anything, I'm calm. I'm getting dizzy now, the pain in my head worsening. I hear raised voices, but I can't figure out what they're saying. I almost fall, only just catching myself. I gasp in a breath. "I'm sorry, guys." it's all I can get out before I stop breathing and blacked out.

I don't know how long it takes but somehow, suddenly, oxygen is going through me. I can hear a voice. 

Matt. Matt Bloody Prick Anderson. He'd come for me. I manage to move my arm and I grip the oxygen mask that is pressed against my face, breathing deeply. 

"What the hell? I gave you an order." I force out. 

"Yeah, well, you can't give me orders, I'm team leader." he reminds me. "Now breathe." Matt half lifts me, putting my arm around him as I hold on to the mask and the little oxygen tank. We go as fast as we can. Every so often, I press the mask to Matt's mouth so he can breathe. I drop the tank at some point, which I don't realise until I try to breathe with it. Matt and I are at the bottom of the escalator now, and a creature is crawling towards us. "Becker, do it now!" Matt shouts. 

"I can't." I hear Becker say through my earpiece. "Is she safe, Matt?" 

"Becker, do it. Do it now, Action Man." I order. 

"I can't. I can't do it until you're safe." he tells me. And then there's shouting, from both Abby and Connor. "No! Connor, what are you doing!" I don't have time to speak as Matt pulls me to the side and the building explodes.

***

I hear voices yelling names, my name and Matt's. Matt and I put our arms up and push the lid of the crate open. I stand on my good leg, but I'm nearly knocked over by Abby flinging her arms around me. 

"Alex! Oh God, Alex." she pulls away slightly. "Never scare me like that again!" she scolds before her face softens and she pulls me to her again. "Oh my God." she turns from me and looks at Connor. He's standing a few steps away, fidgeting nervously. Abby turns and marches over to him. She takes Connor's arm and drags him a few steps away before hissing at him. Then arms are around me, pulling me out of the crate, settling me on the box next to it. Then they are around me properly, their head buried in my neck. 

"Never, ever do that again." Becker mutters. We stay like that for a few moments until he pulls away from me, placing his hands either side of my face, one thumb skimming my cheek. He stares at me, and I stare back. And suddenly, it's like there was no one else there, no destroyed building. Just us.

Until I shift my leg and start hissing in pain. Becker's face changes, his fear showing again. 

"I thought you weren't hurt." he catches sight of my leg. "Alex."

"Oh, it's fine. It only hurts when I move." I tell him, wincing. 

"It's not fine." he turns. "Matt, I'm going to take her back. She needs the medic, now." Matt nods and looks at Abby as she starts walking towards him. 

"Connor, you go with him." he says. Connor swallows before nodding and making his way back up the escalator. I feel an arm go under my leg, and then I'm lifted off the box.

"Woah." my arms move automatically, going around Becker's neck. He's carrying me. "I can walk, Action Man."

"Not chancing it, Frozen Girl."

***

I pick up my crutches and haul myself out of my office when I see Matt pass my office door. 

"Oi, Anderson!" I call, and he stops. 

"Hart." he says, turning. He looks down at my leg before raising an eyebrow. "Medic?" 

"Yeah, just came from there. I need to talk to you." I say, moving closer. "Now. You say that you trust me. Yet almost every word you've ever said to me was a lie. So I recommend you start telling the truth, Anderson. Right now, or my crutch will find your-" I'm cut off by Abby's voice. 

"Matt." she says as she moved to stand beside me. Matt sighs. "I kept asking myself how you could have known so much about those creatures. And then I realised, you knew them because you'd seen them before. In the future. Which means one of two things, either you've been to their time-" Abby says. 

"Or you came from there in the first place." I cut in. Abby nods. 

"Exactly. So which is it?" 

"Personally, I'm favouring the latter." I tell her. "Explains why he doesn't talk about himself. Ever." 

"Hm." 

Matt takes his earpiece out. 

"Alright. Come with me."

***

"You thought it was me? You thought I'd destroy everything? Jesus, Matt." I say.

"Yeah, I know. But I didn't know you then, I didn't trust you yet." he tells me. I accept this.

"Matt? I want to help. I want to help stop Phillip." I say. He turns to me. 

"I can't let you do that." he tells me. 

"Why not?" I ask, lifting my chin. "I'm more than capable, you said as much yourself."

"I know. But I can't let you get involved with this. I shouldn't even have showed you that." he moves for the door to my office. I follow, hobbling along on my crutches. 

"Why not? Why can't I help?" I ask. He doesn't answer. He ducks inside and retrieves my jacket from the hook on the wall. 

"Because I made a promise." he tells me eventually. 

"What promise? Matt? Matt, what the hell are you going on about?" I demand. He glances at the floor before looking at me again. 

"I can't let you help. I promised I'd keep you safe, promised I'd protect you. So I can't let you do this." he says. I frown. 

"But who-" I stop as my frown melts. "Becker." I breathe. Of course. Matt nods. 

"Becker." he says. "And I have to admit I haven't been keeping my promise. But I will now. You can't get involved with this, Alex. You just can't." then he puts my jacket around my shoulders and disappears.


	37. Yellow Submarine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm going to say this before every chapter that mentions it
> 
> I do not have any form of PTSD. I have tried my best to research it. As I write this story, I am always researching to try and get things right. I understand there are different forms, different symptoms, and different treatments.   
If I write something about PTSD that you think is wrong or offends you in any way, please please please tell me
> 
> Not a particularly happy chapter. Alex...freaks out a bit

_Series Five Episode Two_

**Abby**

"I've looked into Prospero's property portfolio." Matt starts. I raise an eyebrow. I am almost sure he's lying. "Alright, Alex did and she showed it to me." he admits. 

"You should let her help, Matt. She's going to anyway, whether you like it or not." I tell him. 

"Last year Philip bought a decommissioned power station. Tell me what that's about." Matt says, ignoring me. 

"I don't know. I wasn't here. Alex was though." 

"Abby, I'm not going to let Alex get involved with this."

"Alright. Let me talk to Connor." 

"I don't think we can risk that."

"But if he knew Helen was in any way involved with Philip, he'd have nothing more to do with him."

"You're letting your emotions cloud your judgement."

"What, like you did with Emily? Like you are right now with Alex?" I ask sharply. It is then that the anomaly alarm starts up. "That was a low blow. I'm sorry." I say as we walk together down the corridor. 

"Forget about it." Matt tells me. 

"Matt, Alex and I did some research. We found out what happened to Emily." I tell him. Matt stops and turns to me. 

"Abby, I don't want to know. Emily made her way home and that's all that matters, okay?"

**Alex**

I run into the ops room as Abby and Matt run in the other door. 

"No running in the corridors." Lester calls. 

"So fire me." I say, running past him. 

"Trust me, I've tried." I hear him sigh as I reach Jess. She spouts some numbers, co-ordinates. 

"That's a new one." Connor says. 

"That's the middle of the North Sea." Matt frowns. The phone attached to the ADD starts ringing. 

"Jess speaking." Jess says when she answers it. There's a pause, and then she holds it out to Lester. "It's for you. It's the Admiralty." We wait while Lester speaks to said Admiralty. When he puts the phone down, he turns to us. 

"A creature attacked a submarine. The anomaly's in the water, so you lot are going to have to go down there." all of us nod and run off to get our things. But I'm stopped by a hand on my shoulder. Matt. I turn. 

"You're not coming." he says. 

"Yes I am! Why would I not?" I ask, folding my arms. Matt glances around for a second before turning me, keeping a hand on my shoulder, and guiding me out of the ops room. Once we are in the corridor, he takes out his earpiece. I do the same. 

"You're not coming because if you flip out down there, I can't help you. It'll be dark and small and you'll have nowhere to go." he says quietly. 

"I can handle small." I tell him. I can't handle the dark, but I'm not going to tell him that. "And Connor and Abby can help me."

"Yes, but you won't let anybody near you when you're having one of your...episodes. So you stay here." 

"I can help, Anderson. I want to help." I'm not just talking about this anomaly now, and he knows it. 

"I can't let you. You know I can't." Matt says. There is silence for a moment before I sigh, 

"Fine. Fine, go. I'll help Jess." Matt squeezes my shoulder with his hand, smiling a little.

"Thank you, Hart."

"You're still a prick."

"And you're still a git."

"Thank you." I say, and he smiles more. As Matt walks away, and I head back to the ops room, I don't notice the blonde woman standing, waiting, watching. I reach Lester at the same time as Jess does. 

"Flag Guard, Submarines and his Commander are here." she says. I turn to see two men walking into the ops room. 

"Oh, perfect." Lester mutters before walking forwards. Jess and I walk with him. "Admiral, welcome to the Anomaly Research Centre." Lester says to the bald man that is at the head of the group as he shakes his hand. 

"Mr Lester. The Minister briefed me about your little unit several months ago. I hope your people know what they're doing." the Admiral says. 

"I hope yours do too." Lester says lightly. There's a pause. "If you'd like to step this way. We've established a command centre." Lester says as Jess walks over to the ADD. I move to follow, but Lester taps my arm, telling me to stay with him.

"I need a dedicated line to the Admiralty and another one to Whitehall. You can establish secure comms to HMS Gartside, I presume?" the Admiral asks. 

"Of course. They're scheduled to send us a signal as soon as they reach the site of the anomaly." Lester replies as we reach the ADD. 

"HMS Gartside should be in position any time now." Jess says. 

"Look, this is all rather routine for us these days, why don't you get some sleep? We'll alert you when the situation's resolved." Lester says. 

"I'll take a pot of coffee." the Admiral says. He's looking at me, obviously expecting me to run off and make some. 

"Us, too. Mine with cream, no sugar. How do you take yours, Jess?" Lester asks. 

"Frothy, thanks very much, Admiral." Jess replies. I can hear the smile in her voice. 

"And you, Alex?" 

"I don't do coffee." I remind him quietly. 

"I understand your man intends to seal this anomaly by firing a torpedo rewired to pass an electromagnetic charge through it." the Admiral says after sending his man away. To get coffee, I assume. 

"That's correct." Lester says. 

"Why don't we just blow it up?" 

"We do things differently in our little unit." 

"This man, Connor Temple, he's an elite operative, of course?" 

"Yes, yes indeed. The very highest calibre."

**Lester**

Alex sits beside Jess. There's something wrong, I can tell that much. She's being far too quiet. She doesn't even have her earphones in. Jess whispers something, and Alex whispers back. Alex is fidgeting nervously, tapping at her legs, mouthing numbers as her knees bounce. She stands suddenly, startling the Admiral. 

"Sorry. I'm just going to go to my office." she mumbles. I watch Alex go before leaning over Jess' shoulder. 

"Is she alright?" I ask quietly. 

"She told me she was." Jess answers. 

"What's going on?" the Admiral asks. 

"Nothing that would concern you." I answer before whispering to Jess, "Send Becker down to her office."

**Alex**

Bad day for this. Bad bad bad day. I'm proving Matt's point. I'm heading straight for the edge of a deep dark pit and I can't stop myself. I don't even know what triggered it. I just need to sit down. Sit down, breathe, and maybe it'll go away. I feel a hand on my arm and flinch away from it. 

"Don't touch me." I blurt. 

"Sorry." it's a girl's voice. She doesn't sound remotely sorry. "I just..." I turn as her voice trails off. She has blonde hair and glasses, a cardigan over a high-necked jumper. "I just wanted to ask you a question." she says. I'm counting, counting, counting in my head, but it isn't working. 

"Yeah?" I force out. "Shoot." If I can help her quickly, I might be able to get away before I crumble. 

"It's just...you and Matt seemed awfully close this morning." 

"Excuse me?" 

"You seemed very close." she says again. "I mean, you have the Captain and I was just-" I cut her off, 

"I don't 'have' Becker. I don't have anybody like that. Who are you?" I ask, starting to wheeze. She ignores my question. 

"I was just wondering what you were thinking, wondering what was going on with you and Matt." 

"Nothing is going on. He's my friend." 

"I understand. After all, you used to have people, didn't you? You used to have a family. But...they're all gone now." 

"Who the hell do you think you are?" I demand. She puts on a look of worry. 

"I'm sorry. Was that the wrong thing to say?"

I have to go, have to run. I push past her and find my office, locking the door as soon as I'm inside. I turn and freeze. A man is standing there. An achingly familiar man. He looks so like Stephen. But he is just ever so slightly taller. He has brown eyes, not blue. He has freckles. He is wearing an old Queen t-shirt with a tiny rip in the shoulder. My eyes. My old Queen t-shirt with the tiny rip in the shoulder that I had stitched up over and over again. This is my dad. Adrian. My dad, standing in front of me. And smiling. 

"Alexandra."

I have never heard his voice say my name before. I step forward, reaching out a hand. But as I touch him, he turns to dust. I hear a scream, and then realise it's coming from me. I hear a bang at my door, a voice. 

"Alex!" 

I shrink into a corner, sobbing. I don't know when I started crying.

"Go away! Go away!" that's my voice yelling the words. I slide down the wall and onto the floor as someone knock on my door. 

"Let me in, Alex, please, I can help." they're almost pleading. "Jess, where are the keys?" 

I can't breathe. Everything's dark.

***

I wake. There is someone in my office. They haul me to my feet. They hug me. I recoil. I'm not sure why. 

"Shh. Shush, Alex, darling. It's alright. Everything's going to be just fine." 

I know that voice. I push away from it, from the arms around me. 

"Get away from me."

"Alex. Alex, darling, breathe. You're safe." Helen tells me. 

"No. No, I'm not. Not if you're here." I say. Helen holds up the anomaly opening device. 

"I knew you'd keep it. The only link you have to them. Your parents. I'm so sorry, Alex, darling. I should have stopped them." Helen steps towards me and my back hits the wall as I step away from her. 

"No. No, no, you stay away from me, you go away." I force out. "You're not here, you're not really here. I'm imagining you, I'm hallucinating you." I tell myself. A hand is under my chin, lifting it. 

"I'm here, darling Alex." I shake my head and press myself further into the wall. 

"No. No, you're not." I put out my hands and push Helen back. She certainly feels real. She looks offended for a moment before she puts the anomaly opening device down and holds a hand out to me. 

"Join me, Alex. Join me, and we can save them. We can save your parents. And Stephen and Nick."

"It's your fault they're dead!" 

"No, Alex. It's yours. Always your fault." 

For a moment, everything goes black again. And then back to light. I stand still, attempting regular breathing. There's a mug on my desk. I look into it. Hot chocolate. Someone must have managed to open my door and had brought me this to try and help. I pick it up, still trying to catch my breath, and smell it. It smells different from usual. I sip it, and drop the mug. It shatters at my feet, splashing my legs with hot chocolate, small spots burning me through my jeans. 

That's Danny's special hot chocolate. No one at the ARC knows how to make it, no one. No one ever had except Danny and Nick and Stephen and...and Helen. I hear a scream again, and only have time to register that it came from me before my door bursts open, nearly breaking off its hinges. I collapse, sobbing again on the floor. I can hear voices, see hands coming towards me. I don't know who they belong to. I scramble away from them, yelling, "Don't touch me! Don't touch me, go away!" my back hits the wall again as I screw myself up into a ball. But the hands keep coming. 

"Leave her alone!" two voices yell. I know those voices. Becker and Jess. Safe. Safe people. I hear someone swear. Then, 

"Get someone down here to clean this up."

Then there is a face in front of me. Becker's face. His hands are up and open. 

"We're here, Alex. Everything's okay, you're safe. Now breathe. Come on, breathe with me." I do as I'm told, dragging in a breath for five, letting it out for five, over and over again. "Okay. Okay, you're doing really well. Do you want to tell me what you saw?" 

"He-Helen. Helen was here." I tell him. Jess kneels beside him. 

"Helen's gone, Alex. All gone. She can't hurt you." she tells me. 

"But she-she was here. Sh-she made tha-t." I point a shaking hand at the shattered mug. 

"No, Alex, you did. You made it before the anomaly." 

"She was here! Helen was here!" 

"Alex, it's okay. It's alright. She's gone." Becker catches my hand. "Feel that? That's real. It's me, and I'm telling you she's gone. She won't come back, I promise." he tells me. "I swear, Frozen Girl. Helen's gone. She isn't here. It's just me and you and Jess."

The three of us sit alone on the floor of my office, breathing together, for I don't know how long. But then Jess straightens suddenly. 

"Five minutes till they fire." she says, her face going pale. 

"What?" Becker and I ask together. Jess looks at me. "I can take it." I tell her. 

"Come with me." she says. "I'll explain on the way." and she does, everything. Matt and Abby and Connor are trapped in the submarine on the other side of the anomaly, and the Admiral has a nuke aimed right at it. Swears explode in my head. I speed up, but my wrist is caught just before I reach the door. 

"Alex, don't." Becker warns. I shake him off and march right up to the Admiral. 

"What the hell do you think you're doing? You have no right to do this!" I cry. 

"And who are you? What makes you think you can give me orders, child?" the Admiral demands. 

"Because they're my team. And your team. A team is meant to do everything to save each other, Admiral. You can't do this! Do you even know what the consequences could be?" I ask, just as Lester arrived. 

"Alexandra, please-" he starts. 

"No, Lester. I will not calm down. You can't do this, Admiral. You could wipe out all of mankind. All the dinosaurs, ruin evolution entirely!" I shout. I

"You are but a child! What do you know of the consequences of such things!" 

"I dare say I know more than you about these kinds of consequences. I've seen them."

"Get this child out of my sight!" the Admiral orders, and his man reaches for me.

"Don't touch her!" I hear Becker shout, but the man doesn't listen. I catch hold of his wrist as his hand comes towards me. I twist it slightly. 

"Alex, Alex, please." Lester says, stepping forward with a worried look on his face. 

"How are you going to live with yourself? Knowing you've condemned these people, perhaps all of mankind, to death?" I ask the Admiral, holding the man's wrist so tight, if I wasn't so pissed off I would be worried about breaking it. The Admiral has no answer. I let go of his man's wrist and turn, walking over to Jess. 

There's only one minute left until the nuke was fired. My hands start to ball into fists, but one of them is stopped by someone else's hand. I can hear low, steady counting as Becker taps the back of my hand with his finger. I step forwards and put one hand on Jess' shoulder as we all watch the timer click lower, lower, lower. Until, 

"Torpedo away." 

But then, seconds after Jess has said it, a picture of a submarine starts to move backwards out of the anomaly. Abby, Matt and Connor. I let out a shaky breath before it catches in my throat. 

"They're back!" Jess says. Then, "And the nuke is heading straight for them." 

"Disarm that torpedo!" Lester orders. 

"HMS Frost, this is the ARC I have an Admiral Marston for you." Jess says, passing an earpiece back to the Admiral.

"Abort, abort now!" the Admiral orders. 

"Congratulations, Admiral. You just fired a nuclear weapon in peacetime at one of your own submarines." Lester says. 

"It's going to hit them." Jess realises aloud. I'm a little scared of breaking Becker's fingers now. There are several long, long moments until, 

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, what happened there?" Lester asks. The red mark that is the torpedo has gone right past the sub, which is now crooked. 

"They got out of the way." the Admiral says. 

"But the nuke is still heading towards the anomaly." Jess points out. Another red mark, another torpedo appears on the screen. "There's a second torpedo." 

"It's Connor's. He's trying to close the anomaly." Lester says. 

"HMS Frost, I need confirmation of that abort order." the Admiral says into the earpiece. The circle that is the anomaly disappeared, just as the red mark of the nuke disappears into it. 

"They did it. The anomaly's locked." Jess says, and I can finally breathe again. 

"Well, was the nuke disarmed in time?" Lester asks the Admiral. 

"They, uh, they think so." the Admiral answers.

"Oh. Well, that's reassuring, isn't it?" I am very proud of Lester's sarcasm. "If not, I think we know what caused the mass extinction of the dinosaurs." he adds. A message from the sub appears on the screen

_HMS_ _GARTSIDE__ TO ARC-MISSION SUCCESS-RETURNING TO BASE_

There's a pause, and then more writing appears.

_WHOEVER TOOK A SHOT AT US BETTER NOT BE THERE._

***

I find Connor later and knock on his lab door. It's ridiculous, him having to let us in, a keypad on the door that we don't know the combination for. It's like Philip doesn't trust us. Which, of course, he doesn't. Connor lets me in, though he doesn't look happy about it. I cross my arms. 

"Why's Abby crying?" I demand bluntly. 

"She's what?" Connor asks. 

"What did you say to her? Cause I know it wasn't Matt, and it wasn't me. You're the only other person she's talked to since you got back." 

"I didn't say anything." 

"Okay. Let's say I believe you. Which I don't. Are you not going home tonight?" 

"I've just go to finish this."

"For Philip?" 

"Yeah." Connor sighs, "Yeah, for Philip." I sigh myself. 

"Connor, I don't like this. This isn't your job. You're meant to be with us. You're going to waste away in here." I tell him. "And I don't trust Philip." I add. Connor's face changes. 

"You too? What has Philip ever done to you? To either of you? He's been nothing but kind to us!" his voice is getting loud and angry. 

"He didn't want you back. You're only here because of Lester!" I tell him, my own voice rising. "You trust me, don't you? And you trust Abby?"

"Yes. Yes, I always have."

"Then trust us on this."

"How about you two trust me for a change?" Connor snaps. 

"But what if you're wrong?" I ask. 

"I'm not. This, this is right." Connor tells me. I throw my hands into the air. 

"No! No it's not! Can't you see what this is doing? What it's doing to you? I haven't spoken to you in weeks, Connor. Weeks! Abby's barely seen you! It's tearing her apart, Connor! Can't you see that? Can't you see what you're doing to us?" I'm shouting now. 

"Why can't you see that this is good? Why do you always think you're always right? If you want to see me, come round here!" Connor shouts back. 

"You never let me in!" I yell, "I stand outside that door for ages. I stood out there for two hours once. You didn't even see me. Philip isn't good, Connor! You need to step away from this!" 

"I can't! I can't! This is important!" Connor tells me. I sigh. 

"So are we, Connor. Your life is going past you, and you're going to miss it." I tell him quietly. 

"And how do you know that?" Connor snaps. 

"Because it's how Nick died! He cooped himself up for days, weeks, barely eating, sleeping, speaking! He was wasting away! And you're going the same way!" I

Connor stands, open mouthed. Shocked. 

"Now you're doing what he did." I say. He doesn't say anything. I turn and go to the door. Just before I go through it, I pause and turn my head, just enough to see him. "Goodbye, Connor Temple."


	38. A Thousand Years

_Season Five, Episode Three_ **  
Becker**

"Woah!" Alex's voice says from somewhere behind me.

"What?" I ask, turning.

"Where is your shirt?"

"Where are your trousers?"

"Shorts, Action Man." she points out, "It's summer." she adds, pulling an old button-up shirt I'm sure used to belong to Cutter over a top that Jess has informed me is called a tank top. Not that it matters to me, Jess just gets offended when I don't know the difference. Alex tucks it into her shorts, nodding at me. "I am fully clothed. You are not."

"I'm working on it." I tell her. And I am. I've tipped the laundry basket upside-down and am digging through the contents.

"You're looking in the wrong place," Alex tells me, "if you're looking for your uniform. You left it in the bathroom."

"Ta." I say, ignoring her question and trying to move past her.

"Woah!" again from Alex.

"What?"

"What happened to you shoulder?" Alex asks, touching it lightly. A fair bit of my shoulder had turned purple overnight.

"I broke your office door down yesterday because you'd gone and ruddy locked it."

"You didn't have to break it down though. You could have just waited for Jess."

"I apologise for worrying when I heard you screaming, alone, in your locked office, where there are countless things you could hurt yourself with." I deadpan.

"Aw, you were worried." Alex says sweetly before dropping the act and poking my stomach. "I appreciate it, Action Man. Now go and put your clothes on."

"Yes, ma'am." I nod before moving past her and towards the bathroom.

"You know you don't actually have to call me that, right?" Alex calls. I know I don't have to call her that. But I know that she finds it funny.

***

**Alex**

The four of us head up the stairs to the first floor of the gallery. Connor hasn't turned up. Again. As we reach the area the anomaly is in, there is suddenly loud, jarring music. Not expecting it, I flinch, grabbing Matt's arm. He look down at me, confused, until I let him go. I act as if nothing has happened, stepping forward as the others do while the music fades out, turning my own music up a notch. 

"Motion detector." Matt states. 

"Video installation, bit old and tired." Becker adds as Matt puts his bag down and takes Becker's EMD from it. "More of a post-Impressionist myself." Becker tells him. I wrinkle my nose. 

"Nah, give me old statues and monuments over paintings any day. Come on, anomaly's this way." I say, walking off. 

"You know, the more I get to know him, the more frightened I get." Matt mutters to Abby. 

"It's Alex you should be frightened of. Statues." Becker comments from beside me. I elbow him. 

"Oh, shut up. There's just so much history in them. They're so detailed and beautiful. You can read a whole life in a statue. There's so much effort put in to even the tiniest detail, they're just unbelievable."

I stop myself as I start to ramble. I look up at Becker, wondering why he hasn't started arguing with me. He's watching me, smiling softly. He stops the instant he realises I've noticed. 

_Ah, cute. _Sarah says in my head. I tell her to be quiet. 

We reach the anomaly and he puts the case with the anomaly locking mechanism down. Abby crouches next to it and starts to set it up while Matt, Becker and I watch the anomaly. Until the pounding music starts again. 

"Something must have triggered it." Abby says. Together Becker and I turn, Matt and Abby behind us. There's nothing there, the music, if that's what you could call it, already fading away. But then a raptor starts jumping about on the beams in front of us, landing on the floor before us a moment later. God, I hate raptors. I raise my EMD. 

"Don't shoot." Matt says quickly. 

"What?" Becker asks, as confused as I am. I realise that the two of us are a few steps in front of Abby and Matt, closer to the raptor. "I think he likes you." Matt said. I don't know which of us he's talking to. Becker seems to assume it's him.

"It doesn't like me. It feels threatened by me. It can sense that I'm the alpha male." he says.

_Are you serious?_ I ask silently. I can hear Stephen and Danny laughing in my head.

_I knew he was right for this job._ Nick chuckles. The raptor creeps closer to me. 

"If anything, he's threatened by me. He can tell I'm in charge." I say. 

"Alex is right. He's challenging her." Abby mutter. 

"Really?" Becker asks, disbelief clear in his voice. 

"Wouldn't you feel threatened, Poster Boy?" I ask, not taking my eyes from the raptor.

"Not by you."

"Really? Your body language said the opposite the other day." 

"Alright, okay, stop flirting." Matt cuts in. 

"What?" we both ask sharply. It took every ounce of willpower in me not to turn my head and shoot Matt, or at least glare at him. But I keep my eyes and EMD fixed on the raptor. 

"We get it, Alex is in charge, Becker's inferior." Matt continues. 

"Oi!" Becker protests as I smirk to myself, trying not to laugh at the offended tone in his voice. 

"Listen, we can usher it back through. Alex, make a run for the anomaly." Matt tells me. 

"Seriously, Al, run." Abby adds as the raptor moves closer. I turn tail, throw my EMD at Becker and sprint for the anomaly, yelling something unintelligible to keep the raptor's attention on me. I jump up and over a display and knock over another. Glass and porcelain shatter in my wake. I stop in front of the anomaly and turned, watching the raptor charge towards me. I dived out of the way at the last second, landing heavily on my shoulder. Once Abby has locked the anomaly, I'm hauled to my feet by a scowling Becker. I ruffle his hair, making it stick out in all directions. 

"Aw, did poor widdle Becks get his feewings hurt?" I ask in a baby voice, still smiling. 

"Shut up." he mutters, trying to fix his hair. 

"Good work everyone." Matt says.

"Everyone?" I repeat. "I say Matt's raptor bait next time."

"I second that." Becker says, evidently still offended.

"Guys, we've got a problem." Abby calls. 

"What?" Matt ask. 

"We've just sent a raptor back through to the late 1860s." she tells us, moving to stand in front of the three of us. 

"What? How's that even possible?" Becker asks. Matt picks up a crumpled bit of paper from the floor from among some leaves. 

"Victorian newspaper." he says. "The device is correct. It must have blown through the anomaly." Becker takes the newspaper from Matt's hand as I swear loudly. 

"Spring-Heeled Jack?" Becker reads aloud, questioningly. My head snaps up at the words and I grab the newspaper from him, scanning it quickly. 

"Fuck fuck fuck_ bollocks._" the curses drop from me as I read the paper.

"Alex?" Abby asks. 

"I've heard of him. Sarah told me about him once. Victorian serial killer, never caught." I tell her. Matt swears too. I blurt out one more curse before walking off. I've just helped a raptor kill at least twelve people. I find an empty corner and slide down the wall, resting my head on my knees, my previous exhilaration draining away. I hear Jess' voice through my earpiece.

_This is not good._

"How not good?" Matt asks.

_Over the last month this Spring-Heeled Jack has killed at least another twelve people._

I rub at my eyes and stand, taking a moment to hit the wall before walking back to the others. Both Abby and Becker are trying to catch my eye, but I look away from them and stare at a wall. Matt takes Abby's EMD. 

"I'm going to go through. Twelve people and that's only the ones we know about, no arguing." he says. 

"Not arguing." I tell him. 

"We need to fix this." Becker agrees, a slightly relieved look crossing his face at the sound of my voice. 

"What about the rules?" Abby asks. 

"We've made a colossal mistake and it's our fault, we need to fix it. I'm coming with you." Becker says. 

"No, I am." I say. 

"Neither of you are. I'm going on my own. The more of us there are, the more attention we draw to ourselves." Matt tells us. My eyes sting as I nod. I turn and walk away again, leaving my EMD behind. I walk fast, wanting to get away. 

"Alex!" Becker calls. He's running after me. I move faster, going down the stairs and turning a corner. I can still hear his running footsteps. 

"Leave me alone, Becker!" I shout, sinking against a wall again. The footsteps get louder, closer. "I said, go away." he doesn't. I look up. Becker's standing there, looking down at me. "Look, Becker, just piss off for a minute. I don't need a bloody babysitter to come running every time I do something wrong, so bugger off." I snap. Hurt flashes across his face before the mask goes up. He nods once and turns on his heel. I put my head on my knees and let out a long breath. He'll be angry for the rest of the day now. Today had been a good day. Such a good day. Of course it just had to be screwed up. By me, as per usual. Tears escape my eyes. I'm responsible for so much death. I should have noticed something, somehow. I should have known it was too easy. My chest goes tight. I rip my earphones out and put my head in my hands. I make a decision. I am not going to let Matt do this alone. I need to help. I stand and run up the stairs. I creep towards my EMD, pick it up, and then burst into a sprint. I run to the anomaly. Other, heavier footsteps start running behind me, and then lighter ones. Becker and Abby. 

"Alex!" 

I push myself to go faster. I feel fingers brush my back before I leap through the anomaly. 

**Abby**

"No no no no no no no!" Becker's going for the anomaly himself now. I grab his wrist and pull. 

"You can't!" I tell him. 

"I have to!" he answers, stopping, but not looking at me. "I have to." he says again, trying to pull away from me. I slide a little, not quite strong enough to stop him, before I hook a foot around his ankle, tripping him up. "Abigail!" he cries as he got back to his feet, turning to me. "I have to go, I have to help her!"

"No. You have to stay here. You're going to stay, you hear me, Becker?" I ask. "Because if anything happens to you through there, it'll break her."

"Please."

"No. Look, Matt's through too. She'll find him, and he'll keep her safe." this, at least, seems to be of some comfort to him. "Look, I know it's bad timing, but I have to go back to the ARC." I tell him after a moment. Becker hasn't taken his eyes from the anomaly. 

"Alright." he says absentmindedly. I doubt he'd even heard what I'd said. I go over to the balcony and wave one of our soldiers up. As he reaches me, I grab his arm. 

"Whatever happens, do not let him through that anomaly." I order. The soldier nods. 

"Yes ma'am."

**Alex**

I can see Matt's shoe prints in the dust, and I follow them in silence, careful not to touch the handrail on the stairs. It's dripping with blood. I follow them until I reach a doorway, and then I duck out of sight. By Victorian standards, I am blasphemously scandalous. I'm wearing freaking shorts. Plus a man's button-up. If I'm seen in this I'll get thrown into Bedlam._ Bedlam._ I need to find Matt. I grab a massive coat and swing it over my shoulders, swipe a hat and stuff most of my hair into it, and venture into the street. It is just like it looks in the movies. I creep forwards, making sure my EMD is hidden in the coat. I can't see Matt's footprints now, they're lost in the myriad of other prints, rubbish and horse crap. But then I hear a yell. It isn't Matt's, but I dart towards it all the same. I find the building the yell had come from. 

"Hey!" and there's Anderson. I run, pulling my EMD out. I find him, standing in front of...Emily. "What are you doing here?" Matt asks. 

"I live here." she answers. "What are you doing here?" 

"We put a raptor back through by mistake." 

"That wasn't very clever, was it?" Emily asks with humour in her voice, her eyebrows quirking upwards. 

"Not my finest moment, no."

"Alright, okay, stop flirting." I smile, repeating his own words from earlier, and Matt turns, EMD up. "Woah, don't shoot me again, Anderson. Lester won't like the paperwork." 

"Alex? What the hell? I told you-"

"To stay put, yeah, I know. I didn't listen."

"Alex." Emily says, and I turn to her. 

"Emily." I hug her. She freezes for a moment before hugging me back. I pull away from her and stand between her and Matt. "So, where's this bloody raptor?" We start walking, Emily leading the way. 

"The original anomaly the raptor came through, have you seen it?" Matt asks. 

"I searched. It must have closed." Emily answers before there is a metallic_ shick_ and she is holding an impressive knife. 

"Woah!" Matt exclaims, surprised. Emily turns. 

"Can I have one?" I breathe. 

"You look good." Matt says. I glare at him. He'd had the nerve to say I'd been flirting earlier when he was acting like this? 

"It's protection." Emily explains. "After the first killing, the description of the wounds, I knew I had to do something." she says, taking out the knife's pair. She turns and keeps walking. 

"Wait." I call after her, and she turns again. Her silhouette is the same as the picture in the newspaper. "You're Spring Heeled Jack." I realise aloud. 

"Emily, if they catch you, you'll hang." Matt tells her. "You have to go home and let us deal with this."

"What are you even doing here, Matt? What happened to stopping Philip?" Emily asks sharply. 

"Philip is under control. I'm here because it's my job." Matt answers. 

"And that's the only reason you're here?" Emily asks. There is silence for a moment, before, 

"Yeah." I look at him. He's lying. The most obvious lie I've ever heard him say. He'd come through for Emily. There's the screech of a raptor and Emily turns to go after it, her eyes still shining as if she might cry. I run after her. "Emily, where are you going?" Matt calls as he follows us. 

"I'm going after it." she answers. I grab her arm. 

"Emily, wait." she turns. "Me and Abby looked into what happened to you." I tell her. 

"Stop there!" she cries. "I don't want to know."

"But your husband-" Matt starts. 

"Matt! I don't want to hear it. I've finally got my life back, a normal life. Whatever is going to happen to me will happen. I don't want to change it. I can't." 

*** 

Matt and I chase after the noises. The screeching raptor, the human screams, the panicking horse. And then a shout, 

"It's Spring Heeled Jack! Spring Heeled Jack! Spring Heeled Jack, he's killed again!" 

I draw two of my own knives and run. I'm faster than Matt. My hat falls off and my hair tumbles out again as my coat billows out around me. I see Emily, her hood up, pieces of hair escaping from it. 

"Emily!" 

I force myself to go faster as Matt's pounding footsteps round the corner. There is a man lying dead at Emily's feet with clear signs of a raptor kill. 

"Where's the raptor?" Matt asks. 

"We should go back to it's nest, wait for it there." Emily suggests. 

"No, we need to find it right now!" 

"Matt! We're in her time! We do it her way." I tell him. He hesitates only a moment before saying, 

"Okay." 

Emily turns and starts running, so we run after her.

*** 

"Your EMDs must be here somewhere." Emily says. We had dropped them, forgotten them in the rush to get to the raptor, to Emily. But then I hear shouts. Shouts, of more than one voice, and many pairs of pounding footsteps, running footsteps. 

"Spring Heeled Jack! He came this way, I saw him!" one voice yells above the rest before there is a bang on the door, more than one fist trying to get in. The three of us run just as they burst through to find a deserted room. Matt pulls the door shut. 

"Lose the cloak." I tell Emily. "They see you in that, you're dead." I add as she unties the string around her neck and lets the cloak fall. I'd always wondered what it'd be like to have a cloak. I don't exactly have the time to find out as I hear a shout, 

"Three in there!" 

Emily and Matt have managed to block the door, just as I hear the strange chittering noise of a raptor. 

"Split up!" Matt shouts. Emily doesn't moved. "Alex!" I understand exactly what he's saying in the simple word. I grab her elbow and pull her out of the way. Emily stops and picks up a whip. 

"Here, use that!" she calls, throwing it to Matt before running in front of me. I follow her as fast as I can, ducking behind a wooden pillar as she does, drawing two knives as she pulls out her own. We are both stuck, frozen and panicking as the creature moves about, clanking chains and screeching. I look at Emily. Her face is turned to look at me. At the same time, we start mouthing numbers, up to five and back down. Then we nod at each other, turning out from the pillars together, our knives ready. The raptor leaps up onto a table, and Emily starts slashing her knives at it, not actually cutting it, but scaring it. I decide to not be so polite. I let a knife fly, landing in the raptor's leg. Matt rounds the corner and starts to whip it as I let my other knife land centimetres above the first one. Emily has disappeared. Just as I pull a third knife from my sleeve, a bolt from an EMD goes flying past me and the raptor falls. There is a moment where we all try to catch our breath. I'm the first to speak. 

"God I hate raptors."

"We need to get it back through the anomaly, we can't leave it here." Matt says. 

"Yeah. Just don't expect me to be the one that feeds it in the menagerie." I drag the raptor on a sheet while Matt and Emily guard. Then Matt helps me haul it on the banister and I give Emily the other corner of the sheet. 

"Alex, you go first." Matt says. I nod and climb up onto the banister. "Alex, no, you'll break your legs!" 

"Push him through." I order. "I won't hurt myself." I add. Matt shakes his head, but doesn't say anything. Emily starts counting. 

"One...two..." 

Matt interrupts her,

"Emily. Emily, I want you to come back with me." 

Emily doesn't answer. 

"Three." she mutters, and pushes the raptor down. I leap after it, my hair flying up, my coat almost like a parachute. I land on my feet, right next to the raptor, jarring my ankles. 

"Alex! Oh my God, Alex!" Becker's voice isn't angry, but relieved as he hauls me to my feet. I shake him off and pull out a knife, watching the raptor. 

"I'm fine." I tell him. I crouch and pull my two other knives out of the raptor's leg, wiping them on my coat before standing up again. 

"Alex? Alex, talk to me." his voice is getting annoyed again. I don't turn my head. 

"I'm fine, Becker." I snap. It's really starting to grate at me, his constant checking, constant worrying. It puts both of us in danger. I circle round the raptor, putting one knife back on my belt. "He's a raptor. I'm not taking my eyes off him."

Matt walks through the anomaly alone. 

"Emily?" I ask. He shakes his head. But then, 

"Matt!" Emily stumbles through the anomaly, and my eyes are dragged away from the raptor on the floor. "I'm shot." 

"I'll get the medical kit." Becker says instantly, already running for it as Matt lies Emily on the floor. 

"Wait. Wait, there's no blood. There's no blood." Matt says. I sigh in relief. 

"Your outfit saved you." I say, almost smiling. Then I catch sight of something else. "Matt!" 

Henry has followed them through the anomaly. A gun is in his hand. 

"Neither of you move or I will kill him." Henry warns. He hasn't seen me, crouched next to the raptor. I stand as slowly as I could, silently willing Becker to stay away. 

"Henry, put the gun down, and you can go home." Matt tells him. 

"Get up. Now!" Henry barks, and Matt moves away from Emily. Henry grabs him, pointing the gun at him. 

"I'm not going anywhere without my wife." Henry says. "She will pay for her crimes."

"Hurt either of them and you're dead." I warn, raising a knife and stepping forwards. Henry moves his gun to point at my chest. My coat is open. For a long moment, his eyes drop to my bare legs. "Go on. Shoot me." I say, moving further forward.

"You are a witch, bullets won't do anything to you." Henry says, aiming his gun at Matt again.

"Cheers mate." I mutter.

"I'm not your wife. Not anymore. And I'm not coming back with you. This is my home now." Emily tells Henry. I see Becker out of the corner of my eye and manage to send him a tiny signal. he nods, and we both move slightly so that if Henry tries anything, we'll be able to get between him and Emily.

"Enough! Get to your feet woman. Now! Or your lover dies!" Henry shouts. Emily scrambles to her feet, but Henry is distracted. The terrible, deafening music starts up, and he looks suddenly scared as he finally takes in his surroundings. "What is this place? You, how are you doing this?" he asks, looking at Emily, who is now on her feet. "You have mesmerised me." 

"Henry, put the gun down." Emily says, "Please. No one here means you any harm." 

"I wouldn't be so sure of that." I mutter darkly. It is then that the raptor gets to his feet. Becker and I move together, diving for Emily and pushing her out of the way. We stand side by side, pressed together. Him with his EMD, and me with my knives. Henry points his gun at us instead. Matt has broken away from him. Becker shoots the raptor once, twice, three times and I throw my knives at it, but not before it has launched itself at Henry.

I stand in shock, staring at the bloody Henry on the floor as Becker crouches beside him. I already know what he's going to say. 

"He's dead."

***

I flop into my chair in my office and put my head on the table. Today had started out so well, and it had ended in death. There's a knock at my door. 

"Yep!" I call before lifting my head. Becker steps in. I try to smile. He doesn't return it. I stand. "You okay? What's wrong?"

"Alex, we need to talk."


	39. Killer Queen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There was meant to be another chapter before this, but it was really frustrating me and it wasn't turning out right no matter how many times I re-wrote it, so I just got rid of it. To sum it up, Becker and Alex had an argument. Maybe one day I can write it, but right now, it just makes me upset when I try

**Becker**

My only intention had been to drop a file off with Jess, but I can't turn away without asking,

"Do you know where Alex is?"

"At your flat? Where she lives?" Jess says without turning around, "Give her a call, would you, Abby's waiting for her."

"Actually she...uh, she's not there." I tell her, and Jess stops typing, looking up at her screen to see me in the reflection.

"What did you do?"

"Had an argument." I admit, and it's then that Jess turns her chair and ignores her work.

"You_ what?"_ she asks, and I already know that I'm not going to get away with not telling her. "What did you say?"

"Yelled at her for following Matt through the anomaly...And a couple other things that weren't her fault. She didn't come back to the flat and I couldn't find here anywhere, so I was hoping you could."

"I can try..." Jess mutters with a slight shake of her head as she turns back to her keyboard. It's not long until the red circle that indicates Alex's black box is up on the screen. "She's here. She's come into work, she-" the ops room door swings open behind us, and both of us turn to see who it is. Alex. Emotionless and clearly tired, but Alex. In a fresh change of clothes, clothes I don't think I've seen before. I can't remember her ever wearing that pair of shorts. She can't have been back to the flat. I don't know where she could've gone, I checked all the usual hidey-holes, Stephen's block of flats, Jenny's place, Cutter's house, Danny's and the graveyard. "Alex!" Jess says, too brightly.

"Morning, Jess." she's watching Jess, refusing to look at me. I should have expected that. I can see Jess worrying about what to say, eyes darting from Alex to me and back again.

"Uh, Abby's down in the menagerie lab, she wanted to wait for you before starting the raptor autopsy."

"Right, I'll just drop some stuff off in my locker before I head down there." Alex tells her, shrugging a bag further up her shoulder before turning and leaving again. I'm not quite sure what Jess says next, but the door out of the ops room has only just closed by the time I'm on my feet. By the time I've found her at the lockers, she's just stuffed her bag into it.

"Where did you go?"

"Ryan Mason's house." Alex answers. So she _will _speak to me. In short, sharp sentences and without looking at me, but she will speak to me.

"And who's he?"

"He lives in Danny's village. Saw you hanging around Danny's house."

"I was looking for you."

"What, so you could remind me of how pathetic it is that I care about the people I've killed? Of how much of a burden my crap mental health seems to be?" she asks, slamming the locker door as she says it.

"I didn't mean-"

"People say the things they wish they didn't mean when they're angry." she tells me, turning and actually looking at me for the first time. "Just bugger off, Becker. I got the message."

***

_Season Five, Episode Four_

**Matt**

Becker runs into sight just as we turn away from the last wall we'd heard the beetles in,

"Matt. Fill me in."

"Well, we can't pick them off separately because they'll be outside the ARC before we get them all, but the good news is that they won't leave the queen. So, now she's in the ducts, we can track the movements and hit them all together. Our only chance is if we get them together." I tell him.

"Jess, what's directly under us on the floor below?" Becker asks.

_Directly below you is...is me. You're right over the hub._

"Jess, can you get me a map of the ducts, please?" I ask.

_Okay_

"Where's Alex?" Becker asks.

"She said there was pesticide in the armoury, so she's gone there. You and Abby go after her, find me something big enough to trap the queen." I tell him, and neither of them hesitate to turn and take off down the corridor, Abby's shoulder hitting Connor's as she passes him.

"What about me, what can I do?" Connor ask. I ignore his question,

"Jess, any sign of those maps?"

***

**Becker**

We've almost reached the armoury by the time we find Alex, turning round a corner and squinting in the light from her EMD. She speaks to Abby rather than me,

"I could hear what Matt was saying, there should be big enough box in the armoury. I haven't seen any beetles here yet, but who knows." still when she speaks she's sharp and short. Abby nods, but when Alex turns Abby looks to me and frowns,

"What's wrong with her?" she mouths. I let myself shrug, not particularly wanting to - There's an angry noise and a clatter somewhere further down the corridor

"Alex." I've taken off after her before I can think. She's dropped her EMD, holding her wrist. A beetle's writhing on the ground next to her feet.

"Bugger bit me."

"Let me see-"

"Don't touch me." she says quickly, snatching her wrist away from the hand I'd reached out to her. "I'm fine." she adds, picking up her EMD and shooting the beetle on the floor.

"Let's keep going." Abby tells me, moving past me. Alex moves too, and I follow them, but there's something bothering me. Something other than arguing with Alex. But I can't quite figure out what it is.

We get to the armoury and find a box, but hear a rustling noise and put it down.

"Quicker than I thought." I mutter. We grab an EMD each and creep forwards. Subconsciously, I move in front of Alex. Abby and I creep further forward. She nods at me, I nod back, and we turn together to shoot, but it's Emily that is there, not beetles.

"Don't shoot!" she says quickly. We put our guns down.

"What the hell? I gave you a direct order." I say.

"I know. I just thought you were wrong." Emily tells me. She throws a canister to me and I drop my EMD to catch it. "I assume this is what you're looking for. There's plenty more back here." she turns back to us. "What are you waiting for? Come help me." Abby steps forward and takes a canister.

"We really need a clearer chain of command around here." I say. Alex turns and dumps a canister in my arms.

"We do. You take orders from me." she says simply. That same thought itches at my mind, but I'm still not sure what it is.

***

**Emily**

They call whatever's in these cans 'pesticide.' I think that means it's meant to kill the insects. Abby told me what the plan was while she and Becker carried the box here. They're going to explode a panel of the ceiling, which will make the beetles fall through. The box will be there to trap the queen so that we have a window of time to kill the majority of the colony. Jess has darted to the other end of the room, as far away from the beetles as she can get as the rest of us form a sort of line in front of the box. Connor presses a button, the panel falls, and beetles start pouring through. The sound of them is disgusting.

"Now?" Becker asks. There's a pause, the queen falls through and Matt yells,

"Now!" I press the button on my canister, and some kind of gas starts shooting out of the nozzle at the end of the pipe I'm holding. I'm not sure what the gas is doing, not quite able to see through it all. I'm not sure how long it is until I hear the scream.

"Jess!" I'm not sure who shouted her name. It could have been me.

"Don't stop! Don't stop!" Matt's yelling, but Jess is still screaming. Alex and Becker falter first, clearly wanting to turn and help, but then she looks at me. It's like she's giving me permission. I take it, dropping my canister so I can turn and run to Jess. I can see why she's screaming now, a beetle crawling up the front of her dress and up to her throat. Somewhere between our fumbling hands I catch it, throw it as far away as I can.

"Let me see. Jess."

"Bit me." she says, voice small and scared. Her fingers creep up her neck, showing me where the creature bit her.

"It's alright. It's alright, it's gone." I tell her, holding her head carefully so I can see. "It's gone."

"It's not working!" I hear someone shout. Abby, I think. No one answers her. My head is turned towards them. I'm the first to see Alex wobble, stepping backwards as if losing her balance. When Matt calls for the team to back away, Alex just keeps going. Becker turns to her when her canister drops to the ground, just before she tips back and falls after it. He moves towards her at the same time as I do, and I can hear Jess following me. Alex doesn't hit the ground, but falls into me instead. I lower her until she's sitting, leaning against me.

"Was she bitten?" Jess asks, and she sounds out of breath.

"Yes. Yes, about ten minutes..." Becker's voice trails off for a moment, "Shit." I see him turn away, but I look to Jess instead, who's still standing.

"We...we're allergic to insect bites. Both of us." the words leave her slowly, and she's still out of breath. She's wobbling too. By the time she's falling, I've already pushed myself up to catch her.

"No!" again, I think it's Abby that shouts. Becker's shot the queen.

"She was our only chance of controlling them." Matt tells him.

"Matt!" I call out to him, sitting on the floor again. When he turns, his face drops. Connor appears, seemingly out of nowhere.

"Andy?"

"'Lergic." Alex answers, the word not coming out properly. Connor reaches out, pressing the back of his hand to her forehead.

"She's got a temperature."

"So's Jess." I tell him.

"We react...pretty much the same. We need Epi-pens, there should be some in the med-bay." Jess says. Becker reaches for Alex first,

"I'll take her."

"I can walk." Alex insists, pushing herself up onto her feet. She lurches forward, Matt grabbing hold of her arms to help her right herself.

"Alright then." Becker says, pulling Jess up onto her feet and away from me, "You hang on tight, alright?" he asks, and Jess nods as she puts her arm over his shoulder.

"Emily, Abby, cover Becker and Alex."

***

**Becker**

"You're doing really well," I tell Jess, "How are you feeling?"

"A bit insect-bitey." she answers.

"Alex?"

"Shit." she's walking as if she's blackout-drunk and I get annoyed at myself again. I should have remembered. There's the sound of Alex tripping, landing hard on her knees. "Ow." I see Abby going to her as I move Jess to lean against the wall.

"Sit there a minute." I tell her, making sure she won't tip over before telling Abby, "I've got her."

"Are you sure?"

"Two shooters are better than one." I tell her, holding my EMD out to her. She hesitates, but then she nods and takes my gun. "Come on, Al, up you get." she lets me pull her up and hook her arm around my neck. Her feet drag a little as I move back towards Jess and pull her towards me too.

"You can't manage both of us." Jess starts.

"Course I can. Just keep walking."

"Sh!" Emily hisses, and the whole group stops at once. It takes me a second to realise what she's stopped us for. I can hear the beetles, crawling inside the walls. There's a _crack _and sparks fly from the ceiling.

"We've got to move faster." Abby says, and both of them turn to me.

"Emily, can you take Jess?"

"Uhm, yes." she says, though she doesn't sound particularly sure. Jess is walking a lot more steadily that Alex is, and she's lighter. It takes a bit of odd manoeuvring to shift Jess to Emily, but she latches on like a little koala. Alex isn't exactly expecting my hand to hook under her knees and lift her up off the ground, and she squeaks.

"What you doing?" she asks as Emily copies what I did and starts moving down the corridor.

"We've got to move." I tell her, following Emily. 

"I can move." Alex tells me, even as her head droops and bumps against mine.

"You can't run." I tell her, and she huffs, but I'm not sure if it's out of annoyance or part of the reaction. 

"I'm still annoyed at you." she tells me, head drooping again. Her fingers are hot as they curl around my collar. Alex is always freezing cold, fingers like icicles. It's the oddest feeling. It feels wrong somehow, that heat is radiating off her like this, and it's worrying.

We reach the med bay and I set her down on the gurney, Emily sitting Jess down next to her.

"Are you alright, can you manage?" I ask. Because if she or Abby can't carry Jess and neither she or Alex can walk-

"Becker!" I turn to the shout and find Abby at a cupboard crawling with beetles. Once we've shot them out of the way I go for the cupboard, looking for something, anything to help her.

"Carbohydrate gels, electrolytes." I list everything I find.

"Much tastier than walls and wiring." Abby remarks. "No adrenalin." I leave the cupboard and find an emergency kit. "Alex, tell me you have an Epi-pen. Jess?"

"At home." Alex answers.

"I've got one in the car." Jess tells me.

"If we open the external doors, that's it, there's no controlling them." Abby says.

"We need to get them to a hospital." Emily tells her.

"If you keep the beetles in the ARC, you've a chance of wiping them out." Alex says.

"Yeah, and if you don't get your adrenaline you..."_ you die._ I stop and throw aside the emergency kit.

"She's right." Jess tells me, swallowing hard.

"We have to take the risk! Philip has to lift lockdown!" it's only when Alex flinches that I realise I'm shouting.

"Get them to the loading bay exit if you can. I'll meet you there." Abby says before moving past us. I look to Emily, and she nods before reaching out for Jess, who wraps her arms around Emily's neck quite willingly. Alex is...a little less than happy to be picked up again, but she lets it happen with little protest

"Okay?" I ask.

"Don't...don't think I can walk anymore." she replies as her head lolls against my shoulder. "Becker. Hilary. I..."

"What is it?" I ask. I lift my shoulder a little to move her head. "Talk to me, Al."

"I don't wanna die."

***

It’s easier to tug Alex’s keys from her back pocket than to try and dig mine out of my own jacket, but it is significantly harder to try and sort through them and find my car key without being able to see them and trying to hold on to Alex at the same time. Her arm falls down, catches mine and pulls the keys from it. She sorts through them herself, head tipped forwards so she can see the keys in her lap. I can hear Emily talking to Jess a few steps ahead, keeping her awake and alert.

“That one.” Alex tells me, voice small and breathing laboured.

“Well done. Open the car.” I tell her. She frowns a little, and her breath hits my cheek before I hear the _clunk _of my car unlocking. Emily follows me to it and sets Jess to lean against the bonnet of the car as I do the same with Alex.

"How are you feeling?" I ask.

“I’ve felt worse, but at least there was tequila and dancing involved.” Jess tells me.

"And I’d been, you know, stabbed.” Alex adds as Emily presses her hand to Jess’ head.

"We need to get this fever down. I need drinking water and a cloth." Emily tells me.

"Have a look in the car." I tell her. There should be one somewhere in the car. I stay with Alex and Jess, trying to keep them upright. There’s a chirping sound and a lizard lands on the roof of the car.

"Rex." Alex breathes, trying to twist around to see him, but I don’t let her turn in case she falls.

"How did he get in here?" I ask.

"I don't know." Emily says from inside the car. She pops out, frowning. "Abby locked him in the menagerie entrance, she didn’t want him getting into the lab while she did the raptor autopsy." she tells me.

"It's directly above us. If he can get down here, so can the beetles." I say. Both of the girls move at once, Alex breaking free from my grip to turn and reach for Rex, and Jess flopping backwards, grabbing the EMD Emily had left on the bonnet, aiming it at a beam and shooting. A beetle falls to the ground. “Nice work.” I tell her.

"Who let the tigers in here anyway?" Jess asks.

"What?"

"Becker, cold water." Emily reminds me.

“Let me put her in the car first. Open the door for me.” I tell her, lifting Jess off the car. “Al? Alex, stay here with Rex, okay?” Alex nods in response as she murmurs something to the lizard. She’s at least managing to keep herself upright, so I feel alright leaving her to put Jess into the car.

“What about Alex?” Emily asks.

“I’ll stay with her, get any beetles that are out there. You stay with Jess, that alright?”

“Yes, of course.” Emily nods before crawling into the car next to Jess, who leans heavily against her almost immediately. “I found this.” Emily adds, holding up a water bottle, “I’ll try and get her to drink some.” I nod before I turn away from the door and move back towards the front of the car. Alex has slid down to sit on the ground instead.

“Hey, what’re you doing down there?” I ask, crouching in front of her.

“C-cold,” it takes two goes for the words to come out properly, “so cold.”

“Okay. Okay, Al, here. Here.” I sit as I pull my jacket off and put it around her shoulders. She wriggles to put her arms in the sleeves. “Better?” I don’t let my arms fall from around her, instead pulling her closer.

“Where did Stephen go? He was right there.” Alex says, a wavering finger poking out of the end of the sleeve as her other hand wraps around my arm. She’s still shivering, despite the fact that her skin is burning hot to the touch.

“He…he’s gone.” I tell her, not wanting to say ‘dead.’

“Where’s Tom Ryan?” she asks next.

“I don’t know.” I have to tell her, because I don’t recognise the name. “But I said I’d look after you.” I add, and her head tips back to look at me.

“You’re mean. You were really mean and you made me really sad.” Alex tells me. The words are slower than usual, and they sound almost childlike. She looks like she’s about to cry.

“I know. I know, I’m really sorry, Al. I’m so sorry.”

“You were a dickhead.”

“I was a dickhead, yes. Shouldn’t have said those things.”

“You were really angry at me.” Alex says, voice shooting upwards as tears spill over. My own eyes feel like they’re burning. _Hell, _I’m going to cry. Over Alex. Well, it wouldn’t be the first time.

“I wasn’t angry at you, I was angry because I worry about you and I worry because-” I stop the words just before they fall out. Oh god. Connor’s right. He’s been right all along. About why I do worry so much about Alex, why _her _safety always seems so much more important. Bloody hell, he’s right about why I let her come and live with me. _Crap time to figure out you might love her._

**Emily**

Jess makes a noise somewhere between a squeak and a scream and lurches away from me in an instant. I can’t pick out individual words, but she’s saying something about the beetles.

“They’re on me!”

“Jess! Jess.” I reach out, swiping a hand down each of her arms and then her legs as if brushing bugs away. “All gone! All gone. It’s alright.” her shoulders are shaking as if she’s crying, and she lets me hug her to me. “It’s alright.”

“I don’t want you to go.” Jess says quietly.

“I’m not going anywhere.” I tell her, “Not as if I can.” I add in a mutter.

“Will you stay in this time?” she asks.

“Yes. I will.”

“That’s good. I like your hair. You’ve got lovely hair.” Jess tells me, and for a moment I’m not sure how to respond. I remember the water bottle next to my feet and pick it up.

“Drink this for me, Jess.” I tell her, and she does. “Good. That’s good.” I tell her, hand moving over her hair. She pushes the bottle back into my hand. “All done?” I ask, and she nods. “Alright. I’ll give it to Alex. I’ll be right back, okay?” I wait for her to nod again before I open the other car door and step out rather than climb over her. Becker and Alex are sitting on the ground at the front of the car. She’s curled up in Becker’s jacket, and he’s holding her rather than his EMD. “I have water.” before I can crouch to give it to her, Becker reaches up and takes the bottle from me and holds it up to her mouth.

“Thanks, Emily. Water, Alex, you’ve gotta drink it. Come on.” he tells her. Alex lifts a hand to the bottle, her other hand still holding Becker’s arm. She pushes the bottle away much quicker than Jess did.

“How’s Jess?” she asks, and she looks like she’s trying to stand up, but Becker catches her hand and cuts off what little progress she had made in lifting herself off the ground. I’m taken aback when Becker lifts the hand he’d caught up and presses his lips to the back of it as he shushes Alex. I shake my head.

“She, uh, she’s still burning up, I don’t know what else I can do, I haven’t got the proper supplies.” I answer.

“How’s her pulse? Alex’s is dropping, fast.” Becker says.

“I…I don’t know.” I tell him.

“Emily, the comms are down. I can’t talk to anyone and Abby hasn’t come back.” he looks at me, and he looks as if he’s going to cry. Becker is full of emotional surprises today, it seems. “I don’t know how much longer they can hold on.” There’s an odd sound from the car, and I turn to it without another word. As I turn, I hear Alex again,

“Becker. Promise. Promise you’ll save her first.”

Jess is lying down across the seats now. I know I can feel a pulse in the neck, so I press my fingers to where I know the beat will be. It’s there, but it’s slow.

“Jess? Jess, I’m going to need you to sit up.” I tell her. She doesn’t respond. I shake her shoulder a little, but she doesn’t react. I stand straight again, “Becker! Becker, she’s not waking up.”

***

Abby takes us to a place called the panic room. She says we'll be safe here, that the beetles can't get in. The name is fitting, I’m certainly panicking.

"Abby, we're losing her." Becker says, sinking to the floor, still holding onto Alex. I set Jess on one of the flat surfaces I’m not sure if it’s meant to be a table or a bed.

"Connor and Matt will get us out." Abby says, closing the door. "Rex." she mutters. "He's not in the menagerie."

"He got out. We saw him. I tell her.

"What?" Abby asks. "I've got to find him." she opens the doors and leaves before we can stop her, even as we shout after her. There’s silence for a moment, and then I turn to where Becker is sitting cradling Alex.

“Becker, give her to me. We should let her lie down. We can put her on the bed. Maybe there's a...a what's it called? An Epi-pen in one of these kits." I say, pointing at the boxes with the white crosses on them. For a moment, his grip on Alex tightens. I hear Alex exhaling, breathing out against his neck. Breath. Breath means life.

Becker nods, and lets me take Alex from him and put her on the other bed-table-thing. She and Jess are pale as bedsheets. She just lies there, her eyes open, her chest rising and falling painfully slowly. Jess is mostly the same, but her eyes are closed. She looks like she’s sleeping. Becker passes me a cloth and water he’s found. I wet it, wring it out before lifting the upper half of Jess’s body and sitting on the bed. I let her head land in my lap, holding her carefully as I press the damp cloth to her head. Becker's going through the first-aid kit, but I don't think he’s found any of the pens in them. He's tipping them upside down, digging through the contents and then throwing them aside, all the while muttering to himself.

"Where the hell are they?" he asks after some time of frantic searching and grumbling. And, almost as if they hear him, someone bangs on the door. He springs to his feet to hit the button that will open the door, and Matt and Connor stumble in. Matt sees me first, and crouches beside me, holding a hand above Jess' mouth. To check her breathing, I assume.

"Andy." I hear Connor say. "Andy!"

"She can't answer you. She...she's gone too far." Becker tells him. I twist my head to see Connor's face fall. Then he looks up from Alex and asks,

"Where's Abby?"

"She went to find Rex." I tell him. Connor turns and leaves, sealing the door behind him.

"No!" Becker's on his feet again, reaching for the door. But Matt's grabbed him, is pulling him back.

"Becker, don't." he says simply, calmly. Becker is anything but calm.

"No! They can't. This can't happen. I have to-"

"You have to stay here. Even you can't stop radiation." Matt says. I frown at the unfamiliar word. Matt explains, quickly and concisely, about Connor's plan. Radiation that will kill the beetles. That, hopefully, won't kill us because we’re in this room.

"Then I have to help!" Becker says.

"No, you have to stay. You have to stay for her." Matt tells him firmly. Becker's face changes. Matt didn't say a name, but I know he means Alex. We both know that Becker won't leave Alex. He sinks to the floor, leaning against the bed Alex is lying on. Her hand is dangling off it. It just reaches his shoulder.

"Becker?" my voice sounds unsure, almost scared. I have never seen him like this. I don't think Matt has either.

"If they die, it's my fault. If either of the girls die, it's on me."

"No, it's not." I tell him instantly.

"But it is. I should have remembered. I should have had an Epi-pen. I should have-"

"You had no idea this was going to happen, Becker." Matt tells him. There's silence for a moment, in which I watch Jess. She's like Alex now. Deathly still, deathly pale.

"I can't watch her die again, Matt. I can't let Connor and Abby disappear again. I can't let Jess..."

"It'll be alright."

"You don't know that! We always say that, and then someone gets killed."

"They're not going to die." I tell him firmly. "We won't let them. Alright?"

"I mean, come on. Alex has practically resurrected herself out of sheer stubbornness before. And Abby isn't stupid. If she can't reach us, she'll go to the menagerie, she and Connor will be safe in there." Matt says before nodding at me. "Check their pulses."

"It's hardly there." I tell him after a moment.

"Snap." Becker says quietly.

"They look like they’re asleep.” I say, in an attempt at comforting him.

"No, Emily, it looks like they’re dead."

"Be-"

The door opens before any of us can say anything else, and Abby and Connor tumble in, Abby with a cage in her arms that must contain Rex. It is just as the door closes that some great force rips through the building, shaking it, causing sparks to fly from the ceiling. I can only assume that this is the explosion Matt had told us about.

Automatically, I bend over Jess to protect her. Through the sparks and the dark, I can see Becker doing the same with Alex. Abby and Connor are on the floor, and Matt's standing between the two beds. I can feel myself shaking. I don't really understand what's going on. All I know is that we might die. That Alex and Jess will die first. That we're all in danger. And that I am scared. I can feel the dark closing in, the little room becoming smaller and smaller by the second. And then the shaking stops. I hear Matt's voice, feel his hand on my shoulder.

"It's okay." he says.

"We're still alive?" I ask.

"Don't sound so surprised." Connor tells me.

"I always knew the plan would work." Matt says.

"You okay?" Connor asks Abby.

"Yeah." she answers as Becker springs to his feet and moves to the door.

"Becker, wait! We don't know if it's safe yet." Abby tells him as the door beeps open.

"They need adrenaline." he says simply, looking at Alex one last time before ducking out of the door. I stare at the door, still holding onto a silent Jess as Abby moves to crouch beside Alex.

"See? He did it. He aborted the programme. Cause if he hadn't, we'd all be burnt alive by now." Connor tells Matt.

"What?" I ask. Connor looks to Matt. Matt just stares back.

"Phillip was going to activate the self-destruct that's built into the ARC." Connor tells me, rather reluctantly.

"He was going to destroy us?"

"He was going to destroy the beetles." Connor corrects me.

"And us. And the whole ARC." Matt adds.

"No one's going to tell Becker that, right? Cause he'll kill me, and Phillip." Connor says nervously.

"He'd have good reason." Abby mutters darkly from beside Alex.

"How is she? How are they?" Connor asks worriedly.

"Well, Connor, they're nearly dead." she snaps. The door beeps open loudly, and Becker bursts in. He holds a small plastic bag in each hand. He looks to Jess, then Alex, then back to Jess. He'd promised to save Jess first. He's torn between his word and his emotions.

"Give me one. I'll help Jess." I tell him. He thrusts one of the bags at me, and slides onto his knees next to Alex's bed. He doesn't even seem to think of the fact that I have no idea what to do with this thing.

"Here." Abby says, holding out a hand, "Give it to me." she moves Jess a little so I can stand. I move next to Matt, so I can see everyone. Becker and Abby rip open the plastic, pull some strange cylinders out of the bags, and stab them into Alex and Jess' legs. I can hear them, quietly counting down from five.

Jess starts coughing. And relief floods me. I move towards her without thinking, help Abby sit her up.

"Hey." I say. She repeats the simple word, and it's enough to make me smile. My smile falls a second later.

"Andy? Andy?" Connor's voice. Alex hasn't woken up.

“Alex, please.” Abby, close to tears.

"Come on. Come on, Alex. Please." Becker's voice, barely there. Everything is still and quiet for a long moment, Jess clinging to my hand. And then I hear coughing again. And slightly laboured, heavy breaths. And finally, a quiet voice, a word said during an exhale.

"Becker."

"Here, Al. I'm here." Becker tells her. I see him smile. But then he takes his hand from Alex and stands, clearing his throat. "I'm, um, I'm going to, uh, go do some...security stuff."

***

**Alex**

I stretch out again, fingers curling. Becker and I were ready to go to sleep about two hours ago, but then one of us had picked up the remote and clicked the television on. Then Becker had picked up the remote to turn it off when he started yawning, but New Tricks came on and there’s an actress that looks _just _like Jenny. I pick at the plaster that had been put on over where I’d been bitten so I won’t scratch it.

“Don’t pick at it.” Becker tells me, pulling my hand away without looking away from the screen. He pauses before adding, “I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay. I thought I forgave you when I was dying.” I say, breaking off to cough.

“Well, not exactly. I’m sorry I forgot you were allergic.”

“It’s okay.” I tell him, but I can tell he’s doubtful, so I let myself shift to hug him. “It’s okay. I didn’t say anything when it bit me. You know, if we ever have kids, I hope they don’t get the allergies.”

“We?”

“Me and Jess. Insect allergies are a bitch in the summer.” I tell him. “Becker. Listen to me. I should have listened to you when you tried to explain.”

“I shouldn’t have-”

“Shush, you already apologised, it’s my turn.”

“You don’t have to. My fault, Al. Okay?”

“Okay.” I hesitate, “Becker, there was something you said. I can’t quite remember it. You were telling me you were angry because you were worried and you were worried because…and I can’t remember after that. What did you say?” I ask, and this time he hesitates. “Was it important?” I ask, “If it was important…don’t tell me yet.”

“What?”

“People only tell me important things before bad stuff happens. So if it was important…tell me when the world is ending.” I tell him and he smiles. It’s as if, by smiling, he’s told me that everything’s okay. The argument is in the past. We’ve repaired it. I can feel his hand on my head, moving across my hair.

“You’re yawning again, go to bed.”

“Only if you carry me.” I tell him, “I’m kidding. It was nice though.” The words slip out before I realise I’m saying them, but I don’t take them back. Becker follows me as I stand to go to my room, I think to make sure I don’t wobble too much. I hesitate in the doorway.

“It sounds stupid but I…I’ve got that insect-crawly feeling, you know?”

“I know.”

“Will you stay with me?”

“I’ll always stay, Alex.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (There was going to be an extra (fluffy) scene, if you want to read that, let me know!)  
Edit: I added it anyway


	40. The Beginning Of The End

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's been a long, long time since I wrote this  
It's been a *while* since I felt good enough to write. Motivated enough, inspired enough, encouraged enough  
Seriously, kudos and comments go a long way towards helping writers write  
I hope you love this. I've done very little editing and it's kinda late when I'm posting so let me know if there are any mistakes :)

_ **Series 5 Episode 5** _

**Alex**

All seven of us are in Lester's office. Matt is sitting in front of his desk while Lester stands at the window. Everyone else is standing but Abby had made Jess sit down. She's still a bit wobbly from the beetle bite.

"So, I leave you for a matter of days." Lester begins, turning from the window, "And in that time, you." Connor looks at the ground as Lester shoots daggers at him with his eyes. "Nearly destroy the ARC," Lester looks at Matt, "And you turn out to be either a visitor from the future or, in fact, and I think this is the more likely option, clinically mad."

"The former." Matt replies. "But then, I would say that if I was clinically mad, right?" I try not to smile, honest I do. 

"Don't you have security checks for this sort of thing?" Lester asks Becker, pointing at Matt. 

"Sorry, sir, but the machine that checks if people are from the future was out of order." Becker replies. Lester looks at me. 

"He has clearly spent too much time with you, Alex."

"Nah, the impertinence is natural. I just bring it out more. I believe it's genetic, actually." I say.

"Yeah, I got it from my uncle." Becker nods.

"Hey, I got it from an uncle too."

"I'll do the sarcasm, if neither of you mind." Lester interrupts. "So, Philip was in league with Helen, and the machine he's building is the trigger to the end of the world?" he asks. 

"In a nutshell." Matt replies, nodding. 

"I'll talk to the Minister. See if I can get a DA25, get him shut down." Lester says. 

"Well, as daring, last-minute attempts to save the world go, that's really bureaucratic." Connor comments. 

"Do we have an alternative?" Lester asks sharply.

"Yes." Matt answers as he stands and moves to stand beside Connor. "I go to New Dawn and shut it down." 

"I gave him the security codes. He's got the schematics of the whole building." Connor tells Lester. "If he can make it to the machine, he should be able to sabotage it." 

"I'm going to need you to distract Philip, keep him away from the machine, buy me some time." Matt tells Connor. As Connor nods, Philip opens the door and walked in. The dagger in my hand starts twirling. It's a reflex action, an automatic movement. Connor has a theory that it's triggered when I sense danger, which is...pretty standard for Connor. I didn't tell him that it happens every time I see Phillip.

"What an awkward silence." Philip says. "Anything I should know?"

_No. Definitely nothing you should know. You bast-_

"No. No, no, no. Purely routine." Lester tells him. Lester looks at us. "Well, thank you. Dismissed. Those dinosaurs aren't going to chase themselves." I'm still twirling the dagger as I walk, but suddenly it is plucked from my hand. I turn, expecting Lester to be holding it with a smile. But it's Phillip that's behind me, holding my dagger. 

"You shouldn't play with knives, Alexandra." he says, smiling. It's the same fake, slimy smile Johnson used to wear, and I despise it, despise him. 

“That dagger was given to me by a knight from the Middle-Ages. Give it back!"

Philip lifts it still higher. "Do you not know how dangerous it is?" he asks innocently. The dagger is taken from his hand. Lester turns to me, holding the dagger out, blade first. I take it. 

"Thank you." I say. Lester turns to Philip. 

"I advise you leave my ward alone, Philip, or you'll have a team of angry dinosaur hunters on your back. And she'll be leading the pack." he warns. Lester nods at me and I turn to leave. I'm stopped by Philip's voice. 

"Is that a threat, James?" He asks, the tone of his voice a subtle reminder that Phillip has more power than Lester. As if he knows that we know about his plan. It makes me turn.

“No, but this is. Don't you know how dangerous knives are, Phillip?” I am barely three steps away from Lester's office when the anomaly alarm goes off. I'm at Jess' side in an instant, the others around us a second later. I feel fingers thread through mine as Jess pulls up a news feed. I can't make out the newscaster's voices for the screaming. A T-Rex rampaging through the centre of London. I'd always known it would happen, always hoped it wouldn't. 

"Not exactly the moment for standing around watching telly. Matt, I'm going to go and see the Minister, I'll be in touch. Alex, we need to talk about your little stunt." Lester says. He starts to walk away. "And if someone could think of a cover story for the 6:00 news?" he calls. Matt turns, going into leader mode. 

"Okay, the plan stays exactly the same. Jess, you co-ordinate. Abby, Alex, Becker and Emily, you're on the T-Rex. Connor, keep Philip here." and we all take off running as Philip comes down the steps.

***

I end up in Matt's car. 

"What did Lester mean by 'your little stunt'?" Matt asks. He sounds as if he already knows. I stare at the road in front of us. 

"I threatened Phillip. With a knife.” I say, imitating his Irish accent. 

"Alex." he warns, and I drop the accent. Irish was never my strong suit.

“Sorta. Not really. Kinda depends on how he took it-”

"When?" 

"In Lester's office, after you left."

"Alex." Matt sighs, "What am I going to do with you?" the car stops, a long line of cars in front of us. "Jess, it's blocked. We don't have time for this, get another route." Matt says.

_The only route that's clear is the one place where no one wants to be, the centre of town._ Jess replies. 

"Get me there." Matt tells her.

_Well, turn around and hang a left._

As we round the corner, Matt says, 

"Becker, have you found the T-Rex?" he asks. 

"Matt!" I yell suddenly, my hands slamming onto the dashboard as the car jerks to a stop. A girl had run right in front of the car, sobbing. I'm out of the car in a moment, ignoring Matt and grabbing my EMD. 

"Please, help! You have to help me. My friend, she's really hurt." she cries. She starts running as Matt gets out of the car. "You have to help me, please!" she wails as she runs, and I follow her. 

"Wait!" I hear Matt yell behind me as the girl runs down some steps and crouches next to a body. Another girl. 

"Lucy." she calls. "Lucy! Please help my friend, she's hurt." Matt squats next to Lucy's head, lifting it carefully. 

"What's your name?" I ask the first girl. I have a terrible feeling that Lucy is already dead.

"Jenna." she tells me shakily, still crying.

"Are you hurt?" I ask, scanning her quickly as she shakes her head. 

"This wasn't supposed to happen. We just wanted to go shopping." she tells me. I look to Matt, who shakes his head and puts Lucy's head down as the T-Rex roars in the distance.

"Jenna, we have to go, okay? Me, you and Matt." 

"What about Lucy?"

"There's nothing we can do. She's dead, Jenna." Matt tells her bluntly, taking her arm. Sensitivity was never one of his strong points.

"I promise we'll send someone back to get her. I promise. But we have to go, now. Okay?" I say. Jenna nods and stands. Matt kept a hand on her back as they run, and I follow them. The T-Rex is getting closer now, roaring, its feet almost shaking the ground. Matt puts Jenna in the back of the car and climbs into the passenger seat, leaving me to scramble into the driver's side. As I do, the back door opens and Jenna tumbles out. 

"I'm sorry, but I can't leave her!" she shouts as she starts to run away, back to Lucy. Matt jumps out of the car immediately. 

"Jenna!"

Then he freezes. I know why. The T-Rex is right there, and Jenna is running directly into its path. Matt swings himself back into the car. 

"Drive!" he shouts. For once, I do as he says. The T-Rex is running straight for Jenna. I do the first thing that comes to mind. I ram the car into its legs, knocking it over. Jenna backs away from it, screaming, as the T-Rex snaps at her. Matt and I are out of the car in a second. 

"Jenna! Run to me. Don't look at it, just run to me." Matt calls to her. She does it. As she reaches us, the T-Rex gets back to its feet. I push Jenna behind me. "Jess, the T-Rex."

_They're still trying to track it down._

"Don't bother. It's here." I tell her. Matt and I raise our EMDs, on the highest charge they could go, and start firing. It isn't working. I turn back to Jenna and take her arm, pulling her round the back of the car. Matt follow me. I push Jenna into the car and then crouch beside it, Matt beside me. "Stay down." I tell her, "Just stay down." the T-Rex is moving round the car, towards us. I don't want to leave Jenna but Matt pulls me away. He jumps onto the back of the car, taking me with him. I know what his plan is. I don't know how I know. We seem to be unnaturally in tune with each other today. I shout at the same time as he does, 

"Hey, ugly!" 

The T-Rex moves his head from the side of the car to go nose to nose with us. We start firing the EMDs in our hands as quickly as we can as the T-Rex's mouth gets closer and closer, shooting directly into it as it opens. The T-Rex falls and Matt puts his gun down. I hold onto mine, kept it trained on the T-Rex. It stops moving, its eyes dead, and I put my EMD down. Abby, Emily and Becker come running round the corner and bolt towards us. 

"You took your time!" Matt yells, though I know he feels the same relief I do at the sight of them. 

"I take it back, these things can take down a fully-grown T-Rex." Becker says, looking at Matt. "Eventually." he adds. I jump down to check on Jenna, who is white-faced with shock. She's holding my ancient handheld anomaly detector as I open the door. I always keep it with me, just in case.

"It's beeping, what does that mean?" she asks, handing it to me. "Who are you people, what was that?" I look down at my detector as she speaks and take an involuntary step backwards. 

"I'll tell you in a minute." I tell her, my voice barely there. I move round to the other side of the car, where the others are standing. "Jess, what the hell is going on?" I demand. I don't get an answer. 

"Alex? What's wrong?" Emily asks. I hand my detector to Abby before I can drop it. 

"Matt? This is it. It's started. Hasn't it?"

An ambulance comes and takes Jenna away and the five of us start walking down the street as Jess' voice finally comes through my earpiece. 

_Matt, anomalies are opening up all over the world._

"It means it starts now." Matt states. 

"What?" Abby asks. 

"Convergence. Philip must have known it was coming so he built his machine to coincide with now." Matt says, as if that explains everything. 

"What the hell is Convergence?" Becker asks. 

"Multiple anomalies opening simultaneously all over the world."

"Can you stop it?" Emily asks. 

"No. I'm not supposed to, no one is. Convergence is a natural phenomenon. I'm supposed to stop New Dawn, which has been designed to interrupt Convergence." 

"But what if you don't?"

"Then it's the start of the end." We've reached the cars. I automatically go for the driver's seat, but Becker pulls me away from it. 

"Can't deal with your driving right now." he mutters. I jump into the back while Abby climbs up onto the passenger seat. "Can't I just shoot something?" Becker asks.

"Yeah, cause shooting an anomaly's always worked in the past.” I say, rolling my eyes.

“Oh, shut up.”

“Nah.”

_You’re about two miles away from an anomaly. I’m not sure what’s come through it. Sending you the location now. _As Jess speaks, a red line lights up the way on Becker’s GPS. _Something tells me you’re not going to get a break, so just…pace yourselves._

“Place your bets, folks. What’s it gonna be? Hadrosaur? Ceratopsian? Ceratosaur?” I ask.

“Uh…what?” Becker asks.

“Jurassic.” Abby sounds confident.

“Not a kind of dinosaur but I’ll take it. Betting for a bag of Minstrels?”

“Done.”

***

I now owe Abby a bag of Minstrels and Becker a lesson on types of dinosaurs. The next anomaly is at a primary school. 

"Precambrian era." Becker says. 

"Worms?” I ask. 

"You've seen these before?" 

"Yeah. Office block. We nearly lost Stephen. And you, Alex. It was Jenny's first day." Abby tells him.

"You didn't nearly lose me." I say.

"You'd only just gotten off the crutches and you fucked up the other leg. You couldn't walk, Al." Abby points out.

"Jesus Christ, you were always like this?" Becker mutters. I lean forward in my seat as Abby replies,

“Yeah, she was.”

“Like what? Hey!” I ask, pawing at Abby’s shoulder.

"Jess, we're at the incursion, we're going in." Abby says, she and Becker sliding out of their seats and moving round to the boot.

"Jess, we're going to do a room to room search." Becker tells her. He turns to us. "Ready?"

"Ready." Abby and I reply together. We find the room easily enough. I'm first in. 

"Get on the tables!" I yell. They aren't tall, they're barely above the gas, but they'll do. They'll have to. This is a primary school, small is the only size they do. The three of us step along the tables, shooting worms left and right. We pass the locking mechanism between us as we move, two of us always covering the other. I hand it to Abby and she opens the case, setting it up in front of the anomaly and locking it as Becker and I shoot the worms from around her. She stands back up and starts jumping back across the tables, Becker following her. I’m last out. I close the door behind me. If the windows are open, the gas will flow out of it and dissipate. All three of us slide down the walls to sit on the floor. We all sit in silence for a moment, our heads leant back against the wall as we catch our breath. A few seconds later, Jess' voice comes through our earpieces. 

_Guys, I need you to split up. Delta unit's last locking device is malfunctioning._ I stand.

"On my way, Jess.” I tell her, picking up the briefcase that holds the locking device. I’ve started myself off now, I have to keep moving. If I stop, the weight of everything will come down all at once. Better to jump from anomaly to anomaly. I look at the other two. "Either of you want to come?" they look at each other. 

"Paper, scissors, stone?" Becker asks. 

"Guys, I was kidding." I say, but they've already played, Abby with rock, Becker with scissors. 

"Ha." Abby says. I stick out a hand to help Becker up. 

"Come on, Action Man." I’ve never heard anyone else call it _Paper, Scissors, Stone_, but he always does. I don’t know why it makes me smile, but it always does.

***

**Jess**

I'm starting to panic now and I know it. There are too many things going on, too much, it's all too much and I can’t control it. Teams are dropping left and right, bricks falling out of the wall I’m trying to build between the anomalies and modern London.

"Alpha team, what's your status, please respond." I say over the newscaster. "Alpha team, please respond." I don't get any reply. "Okay, we've got another anomaly, coordinates 44/725, have we got any units available?"

A voice says, _Negative on response time._ I know. I know that.

"Unit eight, can you hear me? Are you available to move into position?" I ask. 

"How are we doing?" Lester asks from behind me. 

"There are too many. I can't control it. We need more medics, more locking devices, more people, I just-" Dash it. I can hear my voice getting higher.

"You're doing fine." Lester tells me as I return to my keyboard, desperately tapping at it. "Jess, look at me." I do. "Jess, you are the hub of this operation. You may not get the credit you deserve, but you do a brilliant job and if anyone can pull us through this, you can." 

"That's the nicest thing you've ever said to me." I blurt. It’s the only thing I can think to say.

"I think it's actually the nicest thing I've ever said to anyone, including my wife."

"Do you mean it?" 

"Every word. Now, get back to work before we both start crying and hugging." I return to my keyboard and he takes a step or two away. "And if it's personnel you need, I appear to be kicking my heels. What have you got for me in the field? Preferably something cuddly and vegetarian, because this is my best shirt."

"To be honest, I could really do with a hand here."

**Lester**

I walk back towards Jess. I don’t really know how to help her. I’m trying kindness, which has never worked for me before, but this is Jess after all. She needs my help...

"Sure, pass the earpiece thing." I say. She does so. "Show me which buttons to press." I say as I put the earpiece in. Jess moves her chair a little and presses some keys on another keyboard before going back. 

"There you go." I stand at the keyboard, looking at the screen in front of me. 

"Becker, what are your stats, can you spare any men?" I ask. It’s Alex that answers. She doesn't even question my voice being there instead of Jess'.

_Not really, it's just me and Becker._ she says.

_Yeah, we're a little bit busy at the moment._ that's Becker's voice._ What's the big picture?_ he asks. 

"Hmm, not good." I tell them. "Every time we lock an anomaly, another one opens." I can hear a dinosaur screeching in the background.

_I think we might just about have this one._ Alex's voice tells me. There’s an even louder screech, a roar really, and other sounds. Becker yelling. Alex screaming. 

I don’t get an answer when I shout their names.


End file.
